Rapid prototyping by 3D metal printing
3D printing is an ideal way to quickly obtain prototypes & proof-of-concept components. Contrary to conventional prototyping technologies, no pricy tooling or time-consuming programming is needed. Because of this 3D printed prototypes can be produced and delivered fast.
Cream nozzles
A company active in the food industry was searching for a food-safe solution to dispense cream. Taking food safety into account titanium was used as printing material. After a few design adjustments, the nozzles were ready for 3D printing.
Results of design adjustments:
- Less raw material (titanium powder) used
- Shorter printing time
- Less finishing by eliminating support
- When using 3D metal printing technology, support structures are needed to connect the printed object with the building plate. In some cases, removing these structures can be quite time-consuming. By minimizing support structures, a lot of manual labor costs can be saved in the post-processing phase.
3D printing prototype
As only a few cream nozzles were needed, 3D metal printing proved to be the most suitable way to produce them. Within a few days, the titanium components were delivered in the Netherlands.