Swiss machine manufacturer IMT relies on 3D printing from Sintratec

At IMT, a Swiss mechanical engineering company, additive manufacturing processes have become an integral part of development. In addition to a variety of modern technologies, the team also uses a Sintratec S2 for faster iteration and testing of prototypes.

“Our core competence is the complete development of electronic devices with embedded software for industrial customers and especially for medical device manufacturers”, says Benno Bieri, Chief Operating Officer of IMT.

The use of state-of-the-art technologies is a matter of course for IMT. For example, a test laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment was recently set up to carry out special environmental simulations. IMT has been using additive manufacturing processes for over a decade.

“We used to source 3D printed parts from external service providers”, says Bieri. “Now we have several 3D printers in-house as demand has grown and we rely heavily on rapid iterations.”

Christoph Untersander, Head of Design at IMT, explains: “Depending on the requirements we have for the part, we use appropriate technologies such as FDM (fused deposition modeling), SLA (stereolithography) or SLS (selective laser sintering).”

The SLS process is preferred for prototypes that require isotropic properties and an optically homogeneous surface. One specific application of additive technologies at IMT is the internal test system “Beverin”, which involves the use of housings, covers and complex components for gas flow measurement.

To that end, the designer relies on the PA12 material: “We use PA12 because it meets our requirements for accuracy, mechanical strength and gas tightness”, says Hug. “For this test system, we manufacture numerous housings, cover elements and complex valves for gas flow measurement using the SLS process”, explains Christoph Untersander.

More than a year and a half after its introduction, the SLS process has established itself as an integral part of IMT’s research and development work. The choice of a Swiss SLS 3D printer, the Sintratec S2, was a conscious one, underlining the company’s appreciation of local partnerships and the high quality of Swiss manufacturing.

“We really appreciate having Sintratec as a partner, a Swiss company with whom we can find solutions quickly and easily thanks to their proximity”, summarizes Christoph Untersander. “In addition, we always get the highest quality from our Swiss partners”, adds Benno Bieri.