Arch Graphic is a 3D printing service company based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Founded in 2010, the company specializes in 3D printing architectural modelsand models for interior design, but has evolved over the last decade to offer its clients a full range of prototype and small volume production services. The foundation of the company’s service offering is based on high quality models provided at competitive prices.

To enable this core company principle of high quality with accessible prices, Arch Graphichas partnered with FELIXprinters as its key 3D printing technology supplier since 2015, when the company invested in the FELIX Pro 1 system. The quality and reliability of the machine quickly became apparent and the company has continued to build its 3D printer capacity based on FELIX Pro systems.

3DP & Architecture

Architects have long used physical 3D scale models of their building designs to visually convey their vision. However, traditional scale models were often painstakingly built by hand, using fragile materials, such as paper and cardboard, that were barely fit for purpose, particularly in humid weather conditions such as those in the UAE region. It is not surprising, then, that the advent of 3D printing found a natural home within the architectural sector or that the demand for Arch Graphic’s services in the UAE was high. Architectural models and 3D printing are a natural fit.

Indeed, this is an application area that evolved quickly, particularly as the technology matured, for producing stronger and more accurate demonstration models of an architect’s vision. In this regard, 3D printing offers a relatively fast, easy and economically viable method of producing detailed models directly from 3D CAD, BIM or other digital data that architects use. Many successful architectural firms, now commonly use 3D printing as a critical part of their workflow for increased innovation and improved communication. This latter point is a particularly critical factor for Arch Graphic as architectural design models help communicate ideas to clients, planners and stakeholders more widely.

Since its inception, the goal of Arch Graphic has been to grow its Architectural Practice by providing its clients with stunning 3D printed visual models, custom designed components, with the ability to offer fast design iterations as required. To this end, the company has successfully built its 3D Print Hub in UAE supplying clients with architectural models that not only reduce the overall process time compared with handmade models, but also offer a precise finish and superior quality, with options for safe lighting systems that can avoid heating.

Arch Graphic also offers a comprehensive model making service for interior designers, making it a one-stop-service. Here too, the benefits of 3D printing can be maximized in reducing the time and expense of producing 3D models that often require highly delicate details.

Arch Graphic has continued to build its brand through the talent and vision of its leadership, including distinguished architects Alaa Younis and Rula Kaddoura, who have worked at the state level producing superior performance 3D printed architectural scaled models for a range of prestigious projects.

Arch Graphic & FELIXprinters

In 2015 Arch Graphic was searching for a distinctive 3D printer that would meet its demanding requirements as the company continued to grow in size and reputation across the UAE. Its introduction to FELIXprinters at this time proved to be the beginning of an ongoing partnership that has been mutually beneficial. According to Alaa Younis: “The investment into the first, wonderful Felix Pro 1 was a revelation. It was exactly what we needed. Working with Wilgo [Feliksdal], who worked closely with us through installation and growth, was also a key reason for us selecting FELIXprinters as a technology partner. The introduction of the FELIX Pro systems have certainly contributed to Arch Graphic becoming distinguished in the creation of architectural models produced by 3D printing in the United Arab Emirates and the GCC as well. We have completed many 3D printed projects at the local and regional level using our Pro Series 3D printers from FELIX.”

One of the earlier 3D printing projects that Arch Graphic undertook on its FELIX Pro 3D printers at this level was the first scaled model of a new mosque that was to be built in the UAE, which was designed by the Arch Graphic team. The FELIX printers were essential to this model, in terms of the precise details involved and the quality output. The project also involved some manual assembly of the 3D printed parts — a total of 755 individual  pieces were printed and assembled to produce the completed model with overall dimensions of 85 x 85 X 75 cm.

Younis states that: “The accuracy and precision of the FELIX 3D printers ensured that we were able to assemble the parts of the model easily and without errors to get the end result painlessly. At first we were surprised, but quickly appreciated the capabilities of the system we were using, and the model was a huge success whereby we received many positive responses from government authorities and non-governmental companies in the UAE as a result. It’s also why we invested in more FELIX 3D printers.”

The individual pieces were produced in different colours of PLA material, to reflect the full intent of the original digital design that proposed a building that provides harmony with the surrounding area and is harmonious with that natural environment of the UAE. As such the building design, as illustrated perfectly by the physical model, is symmetrical in nature. This is all the more impressive, considering that Younis and his team printed all of the parts, utilizing just under 6 Kg of material, without the need for supports, thereby minimizing any post processing steps and wasted material. The project was completed in two weeks.

Working in Partnership

Over the last five years, FELIXprinters has become a critically important partner for Arch Graphic. Younis explains: “The FELIX team provide us with ongoing technical assistance — both directly concerning the hardware with rapid and exceptional support and also for application development to enable us to maximize the potential of the 3D printers. This was a kind of strong friendship and a strong partnership between Arch Graphic and Felix.”

He continued:“I believe our choice of FELIXprinters has been the main reason for our success with 3D printing scale architectural models and why we have been able to offer excellence to our many clients in the local market. The capabilities of the FELIX Pro systems and are partnership with the FELIX team keeps us at the forefront in our sector and region.”

Expansion & Growth

Having quickly realized the benefits that the Pro 1 offered the business in terms of the high quality, reliable and cost-effective prints, Arch Graphic rapidly added another FELIX Pro system to the company’s portfolio. Continually evolving and adding new capabilities, today Arch Graphic is distinct through its ‘unconventional’ stereoscopic service, which combines 3D printing highly detailed models, with hand finishing skills to create miniature buildings. At the other end of the scale Arch Graphic is able to produce large scale models in new ways, combining many parts into one and incorporating highly complex internal structures.

Today, the 3D printing services offered by Arch Graphic and powered by FELIX Pro 3D printing systems, is, according to Younis: “the main engine of our work.” The company’s profile and number of projects is expanding week on week, to keep pace with the urban development in the United Arab Emirates. This is also supported by the recognition of the importance of the technical field of 3D printing by the Government of Dubai.

Arch Graphic is determined to keep building on its reputation and develop new projects in the short and long term across the UAE, and fundamental to this is the continued strong partnership with FELIXprinters.

The post ARCH GRAPHIC Partnership with FELIXprinters Drives 3D Printing Applications in UAE Region appeared first on FELIXprinters.

FELIXprinters is today recognised as a prominent AM platform developer, and is finding significant elbow room in the sector as its reputation for affordable high quality AM solutions becomes more and more widely accepted across all relevant industry sectors.

Guillaume Feliksdal, Co-Founder at FELIXprinters says, “Formnext in our eyes is by far the most influential show for industrial users of AM for production applications. As such we are excited to attend this year, prominent on our booth being the larger build envelope machines, the Pro L and XL, specifically designed for exacting industrial production projects. We are also profiling our move into the bio printing arena at Formnext, which is based on years of R&D that has now yielded a commercially viable AM technology — the FELIX BIO 3D printer. And finally, we are looking forward to Formnext as a place where we can showcase our ability to tailor-make AM platforms for specific customer demands. As a company, we are unique in the way that we work with our customers, with the ability to custom build AM platforms that are application-specific to ensure optimum output and results for manufacturers that come from an array of industry sectors.”

The FELIX Pro L and XL machines will dominate the FELIXprinters booth at Formnext, due to their scale. They have been developed with greatly increased build volumes over the existing family of Pro machines. The Pro L can build parts up to 300 x 400 x 400 mm or 11.8” x 15.75” x 15.75”, while the Pro XL has a build chamber of600 x 400 x 600 mm or 23.62″ x 15.75″ x 23.62″. To ensure the quality and reliability upon which FELIXprinters has built its reputation, both of these larger systems incorporate highly engineered print chambers, which incorporate an enclosed warm zone and a cold zone. The warm zone supports consistent temperature control during the build, which is particularly important when printing materials with a high shrinkage factor, such as ABS, carbon fiber or Nylon. In contrast, the cool zone is where the electronics are housed, to prevent overheating and subsequent machine/build failure.

Wilgo Feliksdal, Co-Founder at FELIXprinters continued: “The new Pro L and XL systems come with our specific engineering expertise built in to them, as demanded by our customers. This includes a range of automated and intelligent features that remove many of the tedious and time-consuming hurdles often associated with additive manufacturing and speeding up the overall process. For example, the design of the dual nozzle. When the dual extruders are printing together they are at different print levels, avoiding any collisions and minimizing print failure. Then, if one nozzle is idle, it is automatically rotated out of the way so that there is no interference with the printed part. This avoids damage to the part being printed, and hugely reduces (if not negates) print failure, which is one of the most frustrating issues 3D printer users tell us they face.”

“We are extremely proud of the quality of all our AM machines, and were delighted when our technology was independently assessed recently, and received some amazing results. The test was conducted by Belgian-based company Trideus, which concluded that our Pro XL machine was the first large volume printer that delivers the same quality and detail as Ultimaker. Trideus reported that this was the first time that they had tested a machine of this size that achieved that. As you can imagine, this sort of feedback is extremely gratifying, and places us in a great position to attract serious commercial specifiers at Formnext.”

FELIXprinters is really keen to work with interested parties in a unique way at Formnext. Attendees are invited to bring details of specific applications to the booth that FELIX’s team of on-site experts can discuss to advise of the FELIX AM platform that will best fit specific requirements, or discuss customized soltions.

Guillaume Feliksdal continues, “By asking companies to challenge us with specific applications, we not only position ourselves as being able to accommodate a large and diverse range of production applications, but also promote the relationship that we insist on with our customers. When it comes to the use of AM as a manufacturing and production technology, we see ourselves as a strategic partner, here to guide, and ensure the best fit and most economical use of AM for specific customer needs. We do not just sell machines off the shelf and leave buyers to figure out the rest for themselves. We ensure a level of pre- and post-sales engagement that gives companies that work with us the confidence that they are getting the best return for their investment. In addition, our machines are all upgradeable, which means that platforms grow with the needs each company has over time, without the costly necessity to buy new machines.”

Come to see FELIXprinters at Formnext, and discover the numerous AM options that are available at the sweet spot between value and quality.

The post Formnext — Important Platform for FELIXprinters appeared first on FELIXprinters.

FELIXprinters holds a strong position in the 3D printing /additive manufacturing sector, providing a range of industrially-oriented 3D printing platforms characterized by competitive accuracy, ease-of-use, and a range of build envelopes to accommodate numerous applications. However, with all the high-end features demanded when 3D printing is used as a manufacturing technology, FELIXprinters technology platforms are relatively low cost, and open up the possibility for companies to invest and bring 3D printing in-house rather than outsourcing.

In August, the largest build envelope machine in the FELIXprnters range — the Pro XL — was rigorously tested and independently assessed by Toon Meynen of full AM service provider company Trideus in Belgium. The results of the independent test reinforce the now widely held industry view that FELIXprinters is a serious and established high profile player when it comes to providing OEMs with industrial AM solutions.

Trideus recognized some of the key and unique aspects of the FELIX Pro XL, namely that it is constructed using aluminium extrusions making the bed very thin for a machine of its size (maximum build envelope: 600 x 400 x 600 mm), and the fact that the print surface is equipped with a removable flexible plate which makes removing any printed object “child’s play.”

Figure 1. The FELIX Pro XL flexible plate makes removing and printed part “childs play” according to independent analysis from Trideus.

Trideus also highlighted that the Pro XL comes with a large touchscreen, control via ethernet and WIFI, dual nozzle direct drive extruders with excellent part/filament cooling, solid moving mechanisms, fast bed-and print-head warming, USP power loss recovery, and it operates virtually silently (< 45dB) thanks to the modern electronics at its heart.

Here is a summary of Trideus’s findings:

• The user has the choice of using a web interface or the LCD screen on printer. Both are very clear and intuitive.
• Bed and nozzle calibration can be done via the interface and is easy to follow step-by-step.
• There is a Simplify license included with the purchase of the printer.
• FELIX support is excellent and every mail is answered quickly. Its location in the Netherlands is ideal for fast support both geographically and because of the ability to converse in multiple languages.

Trideus undertook a series of independent tests on the FELIX Pro XL machine.

The first was an “overall print quality test” benchmarking the FELIX Pro XL against the Ultimaker S5 machine. This test printed using PLA, a 200°C nozzle and a 45°C bed, 3DLAC adhesion, and a layer height of 0.2 mm.

Figures 2a,b, & c. Results of the Trideus “overall print quality” test, with FELIX parts on the left in each image and Ultimaker S5 parts on the right.

Trideus concluded that the cube, benchy, and polytower parts used in this test when printed on the FELIX Pro XL exhibited “high quality surface finish and details, overhangs and bridges were almost perfect, and when compared with the Ultimaker S5 parts, there was absolutely no difference between them.

Next, Trideus undertook a “multi-material print” test, using PLA and TPU95, again with a a 200°C nozzle and a 45°C bed and 3DLAC adhesion. Trideus recognized that this print was a “real challenge”, a 60 hour print using two differet materials. However, they concluded that “the print was extemely successful, and both materials had a neat surface finish.”

Figure 3.Results of the Trideus “multi-material print” test.

Next, Trideus undertook a “big object” testwith a 200°C nozzle and a 45°C bed, 3DLAC adhesion, and a chamber tempertaure of 0°C. Using the FELIX Pro XL, Trideus found that the rim was completed in 100 hours of printing, and the surface quality was described as “excellent”. In addition, Trideus reported that “the support material was easy to remove. To remove the print from the building plate is really great, you bend the steel sheet and everything comes off easily with that characteristic sound, really a pleasure to work with.  It took 20 minutes to remove the support material from the FELIXprinters rim. In comparison, to remove the support material from the BigRep rim, took 2 hours.”

Figure 4. Results of the Trideus “big print” test.

Finally, Trideus undertook a “print with PETG material” test, using Polymaker Polylite PETG, a 235°C nozzle and a 80°C bed, 3DLAC and Brim adhesion, and a chamber tempertaure of 0°C. Trideus stated that the FELIX Pro XL printed the PETG “very well” and they stated that they were “very satisfied with the overhangs and details on the model.”

Figure 5. Results of the Trideus print with PETG material” test.

In general Trideus concluded that the FELIX Pro XL is a “high quality printer that is very versatile,” and benefits from its “automatic calibration, flexible build plate, large construction surface,” and the fact that it allows users to “print two materials with full confidence.”

Trideus did note that the accompanying documentation that comes with the FELIX Pro XL needed improvements, and that the power rescue mode was less than intuitive to use. The report, however, stated that “FELIXprinters is aware of these improvement areas and is working to deliver improved guides and videos to assist users with, for example, powerloss recovery.  A series of instructional videos are busy being produced.”

The summary of the Trideus report is categoric in its praise for the FELIX Pro XL, and from an independent perspectve reinforces the general view that is building throughout industry today that FELIXprinters are a force to be reckoned with when looking to source sensitively costed but highly accurate and repeatable AM platforms. The report concludes, “This is the first large volume printer that delivers the same quality and detail as Ultimaker. This is the first time that we’ve tested a machine of this size that achieved that. Printing multiple materials is no problem for the this machine. The whole process of slicing, printing and finishing was very easy to do.“

The post Independent Review of FELIXprinters’ Pro XL 3D Printer appeared first on FELIXprinters.

FELIXprinters is established as one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of highly accurate, reliable, easy-to-use, and price sensitive industrial AM machines. As many industrial sectors have shifted their manufacturing workflow to incorporate AM, FELIXprinters has positioned itself and its portfolio to serve the changing needs of industry. This is achieved through careful attention to detail, listening to what customers say is important to them, and developing products and features to meet their needs. The company’s Pro 3 & Tec 4 series of AM platforms — and the newly introduced Pro L and XL models (with larger build envelopes) — have cemented FELIXprinters’ position in the industrial use of AM, and has opened up an array of options for manufacturers previously unavailable.

Customer & Partner

A customer of FELIXprinters is S-CAN 3D Ltd, based in Attleborough, United Kingdom offering a 3D scanning, CMM inspection, and precision manufacturing bureau service for international customers. The company specialises in 3D scanning for reverse engineering, but also has its own product range which include RetroSport (billet aluminium performance parts for classic Minis) and S-FIX (accessories for precision measuring equipment).

S-CAN 3D was founded in 2012, and over the last number of years has invested in a large arsenal of equipment to be able to take a customer’s component, reverse engineer it, and then re-manufacture it. The company uses FELIXprinters AM platforms for prototyping, creating casting moulds and masters, and manufacturing jigs.

James Senior, MD at S-CAN 3D says, “We have found FELIXprinters AM platforms to be very easy to use. You can be up and running within a few minutes of getting them out of the box. We run all of our printers through Simplify3D software so you load the profile, pick a material and you are ready to go. In-house we now have the first machine we bought from FELIX back in 2015 (the Pro 1), and a Tec 4.1, a Pro 3 and the new Pro XL. Our first Pro printer has paid for itself 10 times over.”

FELIXprinters has a range of machines that are aimed at industrial prototyping and production applications, key among these being the Pro 3 and Tec 4 machines and the more recently introduced Pro L and XL platforms.

The Pro 3 & Tec 4 machines are supplied with automated and intelligent features to maximize productivity and efficiency. The importance placed on intelligent 3D printing is really at the heart of these machines, with functionality that removes many of the time-consuming hurdles that characterize many 3D printers. To this end, Pro 3 & Tec 4 machines are characterised by automated motorized calibration; an innovative quick-swap print-head solution; extremely fast rotation of print-heads in the dual head configuration (less than 10 seconds); and a dedicated flexplate, supplied as standard to easily and quickly remove printed parts.  Moreover, the Pro AM systems also offer extremely quick heat-up and cool-down of the print heads, meaning that the dual head print times are reduced by a factor of 2.

Scaling Up

The more recently introduced Pro L and Pro XL machines cater for FELIX customers that want bigger build envelopes but without compromising on quality. Delivering on this was not just a case of scaling up the architecture of the Pro 3D printers. With the Pro L and XL, FELIX has used all of its experience in precision engineering to develop what it believes is an offering to the market that demonstrates te company’s commitment to robust and reliable 3D printers. These bigger machines can fit seamlessly into any workshop, lab or factory environment because they can fit through a standard doorway, to make the logistics of installation quick and simple too. The Pro L and XL have build envelopes up to 144 liters.

Senior discusses S-CAN 3D’s use of the FELIX 3D printers. “The Pro printers have been our workhorses for the last few years. The original Pro 1 has over 400 days of continuous build time logged on it. 
We were interested in the Pro XL from when it was announced, and we certainly haven’t been disappointed with it since it has been installed. It’s averaged over 20 hours per day run time since we have got it, making everything from show display pieces to casting patterns. We’ve done week long and maximum build area builds so I can only really talk positively about our experience with it so far.”

Senior continues, “Internally, S-CAN 3D use FELIX 3D printers for prototyping designs. We might do five or more different concept designs of a particular part or component, as it’s much easier to visualise a part when it’s in your hand. 
We are putting a lot of work through the newly purchased XL printer and it’s opening up things which we wouldn’t have been able to do before (at least to the same quality and size), so things are very encouraging.
We have found FELIX machines to be very repeatable which is our most fundamental requirement for any application, and we also haven’t noticed any accuracy degradation over time.”

It is specifically because of the gap between supply of lower cost, reliable and accurate 3D printers and the demand from companies such as S-CAN for affordable industrial platforms that FELIXprinters has developed it Pro series and L & XL machines. Throughout its history, FELIXprinters has achieved a strong reputation for developing and delivering robust, reliable and accurate machines, servicing a growing client base with solutions that are far in excess of their requirements in terms of accuracy but at a price that is comparable with inferior alternatives.

The post Real Time Use of Additive Manufacturing for Industrial Applications – A FELIXprinters Case Study appeared first on FELIXprinters.

One of FELIXprinters’ customers is Recair B.V., which produces air-to-air heat exchangers from thin thermoformed sheets. These heat exchangers are used in residential ventilation units and provide heat recovery of up to 90%.Key to the success of the company is the optimization of these heat exchangers through the adaptation of the thermoformed shape.

Recair uses additive manufacturing / 3D printing as a rapid prototyping technology, with some of the company’s developments (such as measurement setups) being subject to incremental upgrades during development. The company uses 3D printing to get visibility of a prototype quickly and inexpensively, and to allow the fixing of design issues before costly tooling and manufacturing processes are initiated.

Initially, Recair outsourced all of its 3D printing requirements to subcontract agencies. The company did consider purchasing an industrial printer for in-house use, but postponed this decision due to the significant (€10-20,000) capital investment required to meet its quality needs. At this time, the volume of parts did not justify the expenditure.  However, the demand for higher volumes of 3D printed parts increased and the company required multiple prints such that the in-house ownership of a 3D printer became economically favourable. At this point Recair approached FELIXprinters.

Stein Hendriks, R&D Engineer at Recair commented: ”There are a number of alternative additive manufacturing options available to manufacturers, but not all machines are the same. Supplier selection is key to success, as the AM platform that you choose has to perform to the levels required for your specific applications. Recair ultimately chose FELIXprinters’ Pro 3 industrial 3D printing platform, which we use to fully optimise our designs without having to expend significant time and money. With a large amount of designs in development, the cost of prototyping using milling, injection moulding or thermoforming is extremely costly and time consuming.”

“We like to be able to get our hands on numerous prototypes early in the design-to-manufacturing cycle as this gives us a much better idea of the optimal nature of a design for end-use applications. We pick up design errors and flaws in the prototype, which can be overlooked in a 3D CAD render, and which are extremely expensive to correct once tooling has been cut and manufacturing initiated. We chose FELIXprinters as our preferred supplier for a number or reasons, including the dual extrusion functionality inherent in the platform, and the ability to switch to a stainless steel nozzle for carbon reinforced printing. The larger size of the build plate and layer resolution was also a key factor in choosing FELIXprinters’ 3D printing solutions, as was its ease-of-use, and low failure rates,” Hendriks concludes.

Throughout its history, FELIXprinters has achieved a strong reputation for developing and delivering robust, reliable and accurate machines, servicing a growing client base with solutions that are far in excess of their requirements in terms of accuracy at a price that is comparable with inferior alternatives. With the drive towards the adoption of AM for industry and manufacturing applications, FELIXprinters has logically leveraged this reputation and made an intelligent and concerted move to provide industrial AM solutions, at a price that makes them accessible to many industrial customers hitherto unserviced, and with an emphasis on true workflow integration and ease-of-use.

The FELIXprinters industrial AM machines vary in cost from approximately €3000 to €15,000 depending on the build envelope required, and therefore present robust manufacturing solutions at an affordable price point. The full range of the company’s industrial AM machines are backed up by an array of ancillary products and services, a proactive post-sale “partnership” which is expected when companies adopt AM for industrial applications and an excellent warranty that belies the quality and reliability of the hardware. Indeed, FELIXprinters take the concept of partnership further than any other AM technology suppliers, and offer a service which allows for the manufacture of bespoke tailor-made AM platforms for specific customer applications as well as off-the-shelf solutions.

The post Recair Uses FELIXprinters’ Industrial Additive Manufacturing Platforms for Exacting Applications appeared first on FELIXprinters.

At an open day hosted at its HQ in the Netherlands about a month ago, the company’s profile in the industrial AM space as a provider of truly production-oriented AM platforms was cemented as it officially launched its next generation FELIX Pro L and Pro XL machines.

The Pro L and XL 3D printers have been developed withgreatly increased build volumes over previous FELIX AM platforms, the Pro L can build parts up to 300 x 400 x 400 mm, while the Pro XL has a build chamber of 600 x 400 x 600 mm  To ensure the quality and reliability upon which FELIXprinters has built its reputation, both the Pro L and XL incorporate highly engineered print chambers, which include an enclosed warm zone and a cold zone. The warm zone supports consistent temperature control during the build, which is particularly important when printing materials with a high shrinkage factor, such as ABS, carbon fiber or Nylon. In contrast, the cool zone is where the electronics are housed, to prevent overheating and subsequent machine/build failure.

The Pro L and XL system also come with a range of automated and intelligent features that remove many of the tedious and time-consuming hurdles associated with additive manufacturing and speeding up the overall process. A stand-out example of this is the design of the dual nozzle. When the dual extruders are printing together they are at different print levels, avoiding any collisions and minimizing print failure. Moreover, if one nozzle is idle, it is automatically rotated out of the way so that there is no interference with the printed part, again avoiding damage to the print (and print failure).

There is another important aspect to the way that FELIXprinters serves industry with production AM solutions, and which makes it unique in the niche. Not only can customers purchase FELIX machines off-the-shelf, but the company can also build “tailor-made” AM platforms for specific customer applications.

Many AM platform vendors claim that they provide customized solutions, but in most instances, this implies the “tweaking” of off-the-shelf machines with various accessories. For FELIXprinters, tailor-made solutions means just that, an AM production solution built from the floor up to ensure it is optimized for customer applications.

The ability to do this builds on the exceptional R&D expertise exhibited by the FELIXprinters team, meaning that the company can work with customers to develop advanced bespoke 3D printing solutions. The company consistently encourages the formation of strategic partnerships with customers and other technology suppliers to ensure it is always at the vanguard of the advancement of innovation in 3D printing.

For obvious reasons, many of the tailor-made solutions that FELIXprinters has provided for customers are confidential. There are, however, two recent examples that show the nature of the relationship that FELIX establishes with customers to provide bespoke solutions.

In the area of 3D Bio Printers, FELIXprinters is at the moment an active participant in a fully funded EU project called “training4crm”. The goal of this project is to create an array of stemcells that can be applied to any cell, the initial goal being to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease by replacing brain cells. Ultimately, however, the technology can be used to cure or replace any cell type.

The consortium of institutions involved in “training4crm” consists of 10 individual parties, seven of which are universities and three commercial companies of which FELIXprinters is one. FELIXprinters has the task of supplying a 3D printing platform that can create the necessary cell arrays, create an extruder that is able to print biofluid, and create a hybrid printer that can print two materials at once. True customization.

FELIXprinters is involved in a number of R&D projects in the area of food printing. For the area, the open design of FELIXprinters’ AM platforms gives great freedom when it comes to experimenting with the printing of food. The use of a 3D printer in such applications leads to the production of novel shapes that cannot be achieved by conventional food processing technologies. It is also used for the production of small batches, and customized products.

FELIXprinters is also developing capabilities to provide  fully modular printing stations, where print beds are automatically fed to the printer, and once the print job is complete the tray is transferred to an automatic FIFO buffer.  A transport conveyor can be used to connect each module to the next, and in this way a fully integrated and automatic print-farm can been created.

The modules are linked via Ethernet, and controlled via a centralized control station, each module also having its own industrial control system and HMI touch panel.  The system can accommodate multiple trays with a customized print area. If printing plastics the module uses 1.75 mm filaments of PLA, ABSX, PETG, wood and many more materials, and in the case of paste printing (for different material types), a customized FELIXprinters head can be used or one of a wide range of paste extruder heads.

Customers are invited to discuss any tailor-made solutions that they feel would benefit their projects with our team of expert 3D printing innovators.

The post Customised 3D Printing Platforms to Fit Precise Application Requirements appeared first on FELIXprinters.

Based in the UK, RotaScan offers a wide range of engineering services for myriad industrial sectors including aerospace, instrumentation & control, power generation, automation, inspection and medical devices. A core competency of RotaScan is the use of a range of product development and manufacturing tools combined with decades of expertise to deliver successful projects for its clients.

As an independent company that originally was formed to fulfill contracts to the Ministry of Defence and ‘Blue Sky’ research, RotaScan was founded by Jonathan Sullivan, who leads project focused teams that offer a diverse range of skills & capabilities aimed at supporting clients with product development, research, prototyping, testing, diagnostics and pre-production activities. As a result, RotaScan has been involved with many projects from start to finish, but has also been commissioned to apply its expertise when difficulties arise in projects, which they invariably do, in order to find solutions and provide effective short-term support. And, the company is good at it, which has resulted in RotaScan establishing a stellar reputation in this area.

The spectrum of services that RotaScan offers includes, but is not limited to, 3D design & solid modelling, mechanical design, Fluid Dynamics, simulation, failure analysis, competitive testing, prototyping, light CNC machining, traditional turning / milling, laser cutting, engraving, marking, and of course 3D printing.

Jonathan Sullivan, who leads RotaScan from the front, qualified with degrees in Mechanical Engineering and also Electronics & Systems, has worked across the World with some fascinating companies large and small. For many years he gained experience and insight into many industrial sectors working for a range of Super Industrials, including Renishaw, De La Rue and QinetiQ (previously DERA), in the UK. Additionally, providing consultancy to Oxford, Cambridge and Naples (Italy) Universities, the Ministry of Defence (UK) and the Department of Defense (USA).

He was able to gain a wealth of experience along the way as new technologies emerged for developing new products and was a seasoned designer on 3D CAD systems for over 20 years. Jonathan has specialised in the field of Agile design philosophy, to very quickly progress concepts, to models, to real commercial products.  Without a lot of fuss, cost and delays.

3D Printing Essential for RotaScan

For RotaScan 3D printing is a ‘must have’ tool for its fast and efficient prototyping capabilities. Prototyping, today, remains the largest industrial application of 3D printing technology, and has proved invaluable for RotaScan in this regard.

As Jonathan explained: “The ability to transfer 3D designs to a physical 3D print is so powerful.  We have shown parts to customers that were originally 6 months away and looking at £5M further investment, traditionally to find out what the result was!  We modelled the parts in days and designed test rig options way before costly decisions are set in stone.”

Product development — and all the disciplines that it incorporates — for high value, critical projects typically incur high costs with a raft of risks. Thus, getting the development of parts and components right and fit for purpose as soon as possible in the product development process goes a long way to mitigate these issues and, according to Jonathan, reliable 3D printing is a key enabler for this in his business.

FELIXprinters Meets the Need – Fast AND Reliable

Six years ago, RotaScan purchased its first FELIX 3D printer, and it has been a steady and reliable workhorse since. Jonathan describes it as “a go-to tool for working models” Of course, RotaScan operates in the real world, and the company’s workshop utilises a range of other tools as well, but for fast prototypes for physical assessment and testing, it is a fundamental tool. Moreover, the FELIX 3D printer is vital to RotaScan in terms of saving time and money to prove a concept and demonstrate it in the real world through its reliability and ability to cope with ‘difficult’ prints where the machine choice makes all the difference.

Jonathan relates: “The complexity of many of our projects is a great fit for 3D printing, and the FELIX 3D printer meets our needs. We choose our tools very carefully and when we were looking at purchasing a 3D printer for the first time, it was like walking in to candy shop — there are so many to choose from! I made the decisions and went beneath the surface — as well as considering the total machine build. The FELIXprinters have a rigid, Aluminium structure, which many other systems in the same category do not have. Also, when I inspected the FELIX products more closely, it’s obvious that they have been designed very carefully by smart engineers for discerning professional customers and if you are a high-end hobbyist, you will not be disappointed.”

He continued: “Mechanically, FELIXprinters have considered the full architecture of the system, so that dynamic loads are as light as possible, which is in contrast to cross-gantry machines where one axis carries another axis, multiplying errors and sacrificing performance.

It is undoubtedly a quality machine.  We bought this machine as ‘try’ in a kit form.  Not only was it quite enjoyable, it was very instructive. How does additive manufacturing work?  It changes the mindset.  The FELIX printer was the best investment in technology we have ever made.”

“We did study the whole market in this product space. There were some good-looking machines, but without exception, they all did not have the vital components, rigid frame, precision linear guides and superb smart design like optical limit switches, replacement printables, high duty steppers and more”

Another key positive for Jonathan was the reliability of the machine, fitted with an E3D full Metal print head: “I can honestly say, with sensible maintenance, it has never jammed or let me down.  Running prints for over 24 hours doesn’t worry me.  It is extremely satisfying to see your machine working whilst you take care of other business.”

The FELIX Philosophy

He puts this down to the philosophy and operational expertise of FELIX as a company. “As an organisation they are very clean thinking and straightforward, at least that’s my experience. And as I said, they are obviously engineers that understand the operating expectations and performance requirements out in the field. The mechanical auto-levelling of the recent PRO Series system, for example — it’s just so intuitively right, particularly when compared with the standard software levelling of other machines which just bend geometry. The construction is solid and reliable – which is a fundamental requirement. And the 3D printer is not confused — everything is constructed for optimal performance and reliability. And over the years (since I’ve operated our first machine) the progression and evolution of the machines has been progressive and impressive.”

Even weighing up the fact that the FELIX 3D printers are not competing on capital costs in the familiar ‘race to to bottom’ in the desktop 3D printer space, Jonathan was totally unphased: “They’re not the cheapest machines out there, certainly, but they are the best value for money I have come across, investing twice because a purchase decision was wrong, is not an option for us. Also, the support team are fantastic – with fast responses and good, real information. They really know what they’re talking about.”

RotaScan has just acquired a second machine, this time dual head in the Pro Series, from FELIXprinters. According to Jonathan: “We’ve held off from dual head printing until now because of many of the issues raised by running two heads that actually work together.  FELIXprinters have designed firmware and the mechanics from the beginning, all neatly integrated in to a coherent system.

Earlier, I was not confident that the whole process could work seamlessly.  But the combination of Simplyfy3D and FELIXprinters’ innovative solution to this has convinced me — again, it just makes sense, with the automated shift for the printhead that is not being used. With all automatic calibration tools too, it’s just the right way to do it. It is an excellent product and we are very pleased to offer our capabilities using this machine.  We’ve just secured a new design contract for a Human Medical Implant product.  Our customer requested that we produce Proof of Concept (POC) examples on the Felix Pro2 after I showed off some demo parts we had prepared”

The new FELIX Pro 2 will be consistently utilized at RotaScan to support its service offerings for Design, Workshop and Lab.  The FELIX machines are an important platform in our set of capabilities.

The post RotaScan Utilizes the Impressive Capabilities of FELIXprinters for its Industrial Engineering Services appeared first on FELIXprinters.

Five years ago, Chris’ life changed. After contracting an eye infection, he was left partially sighted. A mark of the man, Chris chose to see this as a new beginning and to find new opportunities. One opportunity that came his way was the time to discover his talent for design when a friend offered him access to a 3D CAD software package, which he taught himself, and consequently found 3D printing. From there, Chris has only gone from strength to strength, building a business around his new passion and knowledge. Easton3D offers a 3D design and 3D printing service centre and operates as an independent reseller for FELIXprinters in the UK.

You selected a FELIX 3D printer as a user originally, can you tell us why that was?

Absolutely! When I decided to buy my first 3D printer I had done a lot of research into the technology itself and I knew what I wanted it for — I had found a way that I could carry on making things and with my background in production engineering, reliability and quality were high priorities. There was a lot of hype around about 3D printing at the time, and I wanted to see some of the different machines for myself and started looking around. I saw quite a few in action, I had recommendations for all the usual suspects but when I looked closer there were issues with them that I just wasn’t prepared to deal with, usually in terms of reliability and failed prints.

Then I found FELIXprinters and I really liked the look of them. The company’s history and ethos is built on quality machines, using only high quality components that print reliably. The features of the 3D printers and the print size are also a lot better than comparable machines, and the demonstrations I saw backed that up. Since investing in my first FELIX, I know that my initial instincts were right. I now have four of them running.

You later became a reseller in the UK for FELIXprinters — was this based on similar instincts?

Yes, it was. From using the FELIX 3 (my first machine), I built up a relationship with the team in the Netherlands — their service and response times were superb. Plus, their philosophy as a company is one of constant improvement and consistently offering new upgrades to the hardware and software — without having to invest in a new machine every time. FELIX is constantly evolving and they take their customers along with them. I met the guys in person in 2016 when I signed up to acquire my first Pro Series FELIXprinter and by 2017 I had become a reseller, because I totally believe in their vision and what they are trying to do with their 3D printers.

They might not get some of the coverage that the bigger players in this market get, but their machines really do deserve to. There are a lot of desktop 3D printing machinhttps://www.felixprinters.com/productses out there getting a lot of attention, but in reality many of them are just run of the mill machines that perform adequately, but with a lot of issues and downtime, and also quite a few of them run on closed ecosystems, which I really don’t like.

FELIXprinters offer something different – the hardware is solid quality and the aftersales service is brilliant, plus the upgrades. It all adds up to something more.

Can you tell us more about the services you offer?

Easton3D provides a design and 3D printing service, we run four machines now:  we still have one original FELIX Tec 3, this is a standard workhorse that is still running reliably and consistently after almost five years, with just a couple of drive belts replaced due to wear and tear. We’ve got two FELIX Tec 3.1 series, one of which has been upgraded to a Tec 4, and a FELIX Pro 2 (upgraded from a Pro 1) as standard. All of the FELIX machines (except the Pro, which is the latest addition), have printed more than 37 km of filament with no issues. That’s the reliability I was looking for — and it’s not a common feature of most desktop 3D printers. I know this from my own experience and from talking to users of other machines.

The FELIX Pro, was, I think the first platform to introduce the retractable nozzle feature for smoother dual head printing, and they were also one of the first companies to introduce automated bed levelling (rather than just off-setting the firmware – which is still common). These might seem like small things – but they really make the running of the machines so much better and easier. The FELIX team understand this and make it happen.

What sort of applications do you provide as a 3D printing service?

Easton 3D provides a range of services, we do some industrial prototyping but we have developed a reputation and skill set for producing a lot of cosplay props and gaming weapon replicas. The demands for realism and working features are increasing – surface finish is really important, and the types of features I am talking about include triggers and moveable components of the props. This requires precision production, which we are able to meet with our 3D printing capabilities. It is so much easier than moulding techniques, but it does demand high quality prints that the FELIX printers are able to produce. It’s definitely a win – win for us. 3D printing offers so many different opportunities, particularly as the materials are coming along and getting better and better.

What sort of materials do you run on your 3D printers?

It really depends on the application. FELIXprinters’ machines do run an open materials approach, but in line with their hardware philosophy, they also develop and produce their own high quality filaments. It shows in the prints and how the machines perform — with consistent reliability. The thing is, if I want to use different materials, I can, but the FELIX materials as they increase in type and performance, are our first choice these days. We get a lot of very positive feedback on our prints, which is great, but it all comes down to the quality. Lots of people ask what machine we used, and what material. I’m more than happy to tell them.

Personally I think the quality that comes out of the FELIXprinters is 100% down to the quality that goes into the machine — it’s the build quality that FELIX insists on and the quality of the components that they use. Yes, it pushes the price up a bit, but you get what you pay for. And when it comes to reliability and consistency — actually, you can’t put a price on that, in my opinion.

The post FELIXprinters Interview: Chris Easton appeared first on FELIXprinters.

The FELIXprinters professional community is a diverse one, and unique applications for our high quality and reliable platforms always raise our interest. Nowhere are these qualities more necessary than in unexpected locations — such as a swimming school. We have been fascinated to see how all of our clients started with 3D printing and how in some cases is completely changes their business, their way of working or adds significant extra value to their business. Perhaps one of the more surprising clients we have worked with is the De Krabbelaar swimming school. Like us, you might wonder what a school of this nature — with a large body of water involved — is using a non-waterproof 3D printer for. Hinke, one of the co-owners of the De Krabbelaar school, took the time to explain why they have a FELIX 3D printer, how it works for them and why their 3D printer is now running almost 24 hours a day. But first she provided some insight into the school.

The Netherlands based swimming school provides swimming lessons for many hundreds of children every month. The programme includes the A-level (part of the ABC-diploma program) and consists of three different levels: the front, the main and the final trajectory. All of the children attending the school progress through each of the three levels. The preliminary stage is designed to prepare the children and ensure that they have the capabilities for learning to swim. Once completed, the children progress to the main teaching course where the emphasis is on learning the different swimming strokes. Once through this, they move on to the final track which focuses on improvement for the ‘graduation’ swim. Because each child is different he or she will progress through the three levels at their own pace.

Lessons with a smile

De Krabbelaar originally started offering swimming lessons in 2011 and in 2016 a new name for the school and a new way of motivating children was adopted. The De Krabbelaar philosophy is that children should enjoy the lessons, and therefore smiles are important, as are rewards. To reward children in a personal and unique way, Hinke and her partner Wilco, designed and developed a puzzle. She explained: “To motivate and reward our youngest children, we hand out 3D printed pieces of a puzzle once each part of the ABC course is completed.” At the end of the course the children have all of the pieces to complete the puzzle, showing a happy crab, customized for each child with their name and highlighting the level the child has reached. Altogether a fun and useful application of 3D printing, and one that adds value to the business.

3D printing vs. traditional techniques

Hinke and Wilco explored a number of different production options for their specific application, including traditional techniques, and 3^rdparty suppliers. However, all of the traditional options turned out to be too expensive or required De Krabbelaar to purchase at least one truck full of puzzles. In addition, the material used to produce the puzzles was a key requirement: wood was not a viable option due to water affecting the puzzle pieces, and plastic emerged as the best option.

And last but certainly not least, the ability to customize the puzzles for each individual child was also a key factor. Using traditional production methods largely prevented this. According to Hinke: “During their first lesson children receive a base plate for the puzzle. Then later, as they progress, the children receive the part with their name 3D printed onto it. At that moment it really becomes their personal puzzle.”

In 2016, the De Krabbelaar school decided to purchase a FELIX 3D printer DIY Kit to start with. It didn’t take long for Hinke and Wilco to see that a 3D printer would fulfil all of their requirements and, it also meant that they could take care of everything themselves, in-house. From designing (and adjusting) the required 3D files through to creating and producing the final parts. A further, very important factor was the ability to customise and create the puzzle in the numbers needed.

Over 33 kilometers and counting

Hinke’s partner, Wilco, built the printer during a workshop, which taught him all about the construction of the FELIX 3D printer. He said: “For me it was a great way to be able to ask any technical questions and to see, first hand, all of the high quality components that are used within a FELIX 3D printer. It was also for that reason very convenient that FELIXprinters is a Netherlands based company.”

Currently, De Krabbelaar is teaching about 750 children per month and every child receives the puzzle pieces during their lessons. To make sure Hinke, Wilco and their colleagues have enough pieces, their FELIX 3D printer is working almost non-stop and has successfully printed more than 33 kilometers of filament — and counting! Of course, undergoing this sort of heavy-duty use has required maintenance, which is why their FELIX looks slightlymodified, but it continues to perform reliably and consistently.

Curious to find out more about De Krabbelaar? Visit their website here.

We would like to thank Hinke en Wilco for their time and effort to help to create this article.

Wilco and Hinke

The post 3D Printing Adds Value to Business for Dutch Swimming School appeared first on FELIXprinters.

Creating 3D Prints of Complex Geometries

However, Frank and the hpl structural team understood the value of physical models, particularly considering the complex geometries involved in many of their projects. A physical model enables all stakeholders involved, including the client, to better understandable and visualize the project construction.

3D printing offered a potential solution. Frank and a selected team of engineers decided to investigate desktop 3D printing technology. The main focus was to find out if 3D printing could fit their needs. When the team received the first set of 3D prints created on an external 3D printer it turned out their expectations were met straight away. According to Frank, “Having a 3D printed model made it much ‘easier for the brain’ to understand the complex geometries [we were dealing with].” The team were onboard with it from then on, but the added value came from the very positive feedback from clients after seeing the 3D models themselves. As a result, Frank went ahead and purchased an in-house 3D printer. After some research on available 3D printers, he selective the FELIX TEC 4 due to the high quality of the printer itself, its consistent reliability and quality prints.

Mr. Frank Heyder, CEO at hpl structural

Copyright: zueblin.de – This picture shows a similar building site – the Sperrwerk Greifswald. hpl Ingenieure planned this project from 1998 until 2010 and supervised the building site from 2010 until 2016.

Professional Applications of 3D Printing 

We would like to thank Frank Heyder for cooperating in the realisation of this article. For more information visit the hpl structural website.  

The post 3D Printing Supports Hpl Structural Engineers with The Design Process for Complex Steel Constructions appeared first on FELIXprinters.