Penns State University chooses ROBOZE AM Solution

High temperature, high precision, high quality standard plastic 3D printing capabilities added to one of the premier academic institutions in additive manufacturing in the United States.

The Pennsylvania State University, a leader in 3D printing through the Center for Innovative Materials Processing through Direct Digital Deposition (CIMP-3D), has increased its capabilities for innovative advances in 3D printing by choosing a new FFF solution, ROBOZE One+400 Xtreme, with the aim of accelerating the progress and implementation of the AM technology in the world. CIMP-3D includes several additive manufacturing (AM) systems as well as a state-of-the-art design studio and prototyping laboratory. Current research activity within the center is directed at the development of technologies that will enable greater utilization of additive manufacturing in industry.

The ROBOZE One+400 Xtreme will be located within Penn State’s Department of Chemical Engineering, one of the largest and highly influential chemical engineering departments in the United States. The new 3D printer is specifically designed to produce functional finished parts with high performance and easily prints advanced composite materials suitable for extreme operating conditions. Moreover, it is equipped to enable new and significant innovations in the FFF 3D printing technology sector.

“ROBOZE One+400 Xtreme will be used to examine novel polymers to help to fundamentally understand the 3D printing process and as a tool to enable custom equipment more cost effectively than can be obtained with machining metals while also allowing for designs not possible with traditional manufacture” says Prof. Bryan D. Vogt from the Department of Chemical Engineering. “The ROBOZE One+400 Xtreme will allow Penn State to leverage its expertise in materials science, engineering and characterization to enable new solutions to problems through additive manufacturing.”In fact, ROBOZE solutions are the most precise in the world thanks to the Beltless System.

This Beltless System introduces a direct movement of the X and Y-axes, entrusted to hardened steel rack and pinions. The repeatability of the movements is guaranteed by the gear teeth and ensures smoothness of the movement, quietness, positioning precision equal to 0.4 mil/0,01mm and very easy and fast maintenance operations.

The manufacturer’s choice of these components is fundamental to guarantee the best quality printing of high temperature polymers like PEEK.

” The ability to use custom filaments and control the print processing was a critical factor in selecting ROBOZE. The flexibility allowed by ROBOZE along with its excellent printing capabilities is well aligned with the discovery-oriented research mission of the university to expand knowledge and its application.” continues Prof. Vogt ” Moverover, our prior 3D printer had issues printing high temperature engineering plastics like PEEK with severe deformation of the structure generally observed. After challenges with printing PEEK with standard belt driven systems, the novel direct drive approach with the ROBOZE was an added bonus.”

ROBOZE is an Italo-American 3D printing company, which designs and produces additive manufacturing solutions for Aeronautics, Space, Defense, Oil & Gas and Motorsport Industries, with the aim of offering the best 3D printers for extreme applications through a constant product innovation. Its solutions are specifically designed to offer high quality standards in the production of metal replacement parts. With a portfolio of 14 super polymers and composite materials, ROBOZE solutions are chosen by most of the key players in the sector, who use it daily for metal replacement applications, reducing time and costs in the most extreme environments, on demand and just in time.

“The versatility of the ROBOZE solution was a key factor in the selection. There is not a specific application in mind but rather there are a multitude of problems that can be addressed with the performance of the ROBOZE One+400 Xtreme printer, where the combination of precision and flexibility in materials is unprecedented” declares Prof. Vogt.

With the addition of the ROBOZE, students in Penn State’s Department of Chemical Engineering will test new polymers as well as develop new formulations in order to supply multi functionality to the printed parts. These printed parts will also be used to advance research in diverse areas such as chemical reactors where the printing can produce novel hierarchical structures to improve performance as well as provide in-situ characterization that can be customized through the build design or energetic optimization of the water purification systems that removes viruses and reactive-additive materials that supply feedback from the immediate environment.