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A short introduction to FDB printing, which has so far been largely underestimated
Whoever uses the phrase “built on sand” is almost certainly not thinking that a technology based precisely on this material is now able to produce very solid objects. This is not surprising in that the Furan direct bindingFDB for short, has not yet been able to gain a place among 3D printing technologies that can be compared to stereolithography, SLS or FDM printing.
It is therefore time to introduce you to this sand-based additive manufacturing process.
The History of FDB Printing
The cornerstone for the FDB printing technology was laid in the years 1995-98, namely at the chair for precision engineering at the Technical University of Munich. First of all, the Munich researchers succeeded in dosing UV-curing adhesives in drops for the first time (1995). This resulted in the drawer project “Generation of 3D structures”, with which the chair took part in the first Munich business plan competition in 1996/97. The first patent for FDB printing was finally granted in 1998 and the first in the same year sand molds printed.
From 2002 to 2005, the commercial spread of FDB printing systems finally began, before the impressive installation space sizes and printing speeds that are usual in this technology today were achieved for the first time in 2011.
This is how FDB printing works
First, the FDB printer applies a particle material (sand) in thin layers of 80-400 µm to the construction surface, before a high-resolution print head selectively applies this layer, depending on the specification of the component data binder printed and glued. The printer repeats these steps until the height of the desired object is reached. Finally, the residues of unbonded material are removed and the finished component appears.
We at 3D Activation offer you FDB prints in the materials polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and quartz sand.
The special advantages of FDB printing
Of the 3D printing processes that have been developed so far, there is probably no other that makes it possible huge building spaces like the FDB technology, namely 4000 x 2000 x 1000 mm.
FDB-generated PMMA models can also be burned out (as models for investment casting) or, if they are highly stable, can be used as post-processed display models.
application areas
A classic field of application for FDB printing is the production of sand molds (which, as shown above, is where everything started), both for the Gray and cast steelas well as for the production of castable metals such as aluminum, brass or magnesium.
Other large models, such as designer furniture, are also made from quartz sand in particular using the FDB process.
Find out more about FDB printing as well as our diverse other 3D printing processes on our website.
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