Wire or Fiber Encapsulating Additive Manufacturing (WEAM/FEAM) can considerably streamline the economic manufacturing of parts that require built-in, complicated, but compact wiring, sensors, actuators, or lighting programs by immediately printing these components into components. The FEAM course of makes use of glass fibers as a substitute of wires; these fibers are coated with a polymer and utilized to any substrate with out affecting their optical properties. This know-how allows the creation of customizable lighting components, sensors, or information conductors on each 2D and 3D surfaces.
A notable improvement at Fraunhofer IWU is the Automated Cable Meeting (AuCA). Conventional robotics wrestle to supply and routinely lay versatile cable bundles in autos. AuCA addresses this problem by manufacturing wiring immediately onto parts in a robot-guided method and securing it with a polymer.
The workforce led by Lukas Boxberger at Fraunhofer IWU provides quite a lot of print heads for a variety of producing duties, which may be additional personalized to satisfy particular product necessities.
Printing customized wiring harnesses in automobile manufacturing
An car’s wiring harness consists of a number of cables with various lengths, cross-sections, and terminal connectors. For robotic programs, assembling and putting in a cable system that spans a number of kilometers is extraordinarily difficult – requiring quite a few cameras, sensors, and complicated processing steps. In consequence, your complete course of chain – from assembling the cables to putting in them within the automobile – nonetheless depends closely on meticulous handbook labor.
Fraunhofer IWU’s AuCA reimagines cable laying by combining it with 3D printing know-how. This innovation permits versatile cables to be deposited immediately from an countless reservoir with out the necessity for handbook dealing with. Moreover, the researchers have developed a instrument head that enhances the performance of the laid cables.
This automated cable-laying idea eliminates the necessity for picture processing and makes use of an environment friendly laying system immediately on the ultimate element. The know-how removes the need for cable pre-assembly, harness configuration, transport, and set up. Such a system can change a number of handbook labor stations and apply wiring harnesses immediately onto parts adjoining to the automobile manufacturing line. AuCA reduces the wiring harness to its core parts: particular person cables, crucial contacts, and application-specific adhesives. This method saves weight and eliminates the necessity for added supplies for transport safety.
Related functions exist in all areas of cable integration, from management cupboards to shopper electronics.
FEAM for fiber optics and superior lighting programs
Past coated cables, fiber optic strands may also be utilized to varied substrates utilizing printing know-how. In Fiber Encapsulating Additive Manufacturing (FEAM), a single fiber or fiber bundle is printed onto the element by a print head and encapsulated with a polymer coating. This technique permits fiberglass tracks to be deposited immediately onto the ultimate element in any desired form.
With FEAM know-how, researchers intention to push the boundaries of fiber optic integration to develop cost-effective and design-flexible options for industrial functions. Fraunhofer IWU is engaged on strategies that allow absolutely automated integration of fiber optic components and is growing print head programs which are quicker, extra exact, and extra environment friendly. Merchandise with optical fibers immediately utilized to injection-molded components profit from shorter processing instances and fewer parts. Comparable value advantages are achieved when this know-how is used to use optical fibers immediately onto parts.
At Formnext, Fraunhofer IWU will showcase a print head able to deposition speeds as much as 50 millimeters per second for fiber diameters starting from 0.2 to 1 millimeter, with out particular necessities for the coating materials. For instance, side-emitting fiber optics (SEFOs) with a protecting clear casing may be utilized to an injection-molded half to create highly effective, flat gentle components.