Schneider Electric is a European company that was founded in 1836 and today operates worldwide. The company has specialized, among other things, in the development and manufacture of compressed air circuit breakers. Recently, the manufacturer has been able to integrate additive manufacturing into its business to address a lack of inventory – particularly for spare parts and tools. The Facility Management department therefore decided in favor of the Shape 1 3D printer from RAYSHAPE, with which the parts can now be produced more quickly and cost-effectively. For more than 5 months now, Schneider has been using the advantages offered by the innovative process and resin 3D printing.
In the processing industry, spare parts are usually not mass-produced, so any failure can have a massive impact on the supply chain. This is where 3D printing comes in: the technology offers a faster and cheaper way to produce single parts or small batches compared to other traditional manufacturing processes. Also, with the development of new advanced materials, the adaptation of additive manufacturing is becoming increasingly easier. The latter was particularly important for Schneider because the required applications require a high degree of robustness and a sufficient level of detail. For this reason, the company finally turned to the Chinese manufacturer RAYSHAPE, which specializes in the development of professional DLP 3D printing solutions. In addition to 3D printers, the range also includes materials and post-processing solutions.
Schneider Electric has integrated the RAYSHAPE Shape 1 3D printer into its company. | Image: RAYSHAPE
Benefits of introducing RAYSHAPE DLP 3D printers
Thanks to the integration of additive manufacturing, Schneider managed to reduce the time of the manufacturing process, in which engineers, suppliers and purchasing managers usually work together. With the Shape 1 3D printer from RAYSHAPE, the engineers are able to independently design spare parts and print them on site. Unlike CNC machining, a method that takes more effort and time, 3D printing as a technology offers the advantage that engineers can solve problems directly by designing the parts they need the same day. In addition, the parts can be completed by the 3D printer outside of business hours, so that they are available the next day.
The Shape 1 is a desktop 3D printer that prints with high precision at a speed of up to 50 mm/hour. The device can produce several tools with a height of 10 cm at the same time. With a print volume of 192 × 108 × 300 mm, the Shape 1 enabled the production of multiple 3D printed parts in about three hours. To meet Schneider’s requirements, RAYSHAPE Schneider recommended using the Pro 10 resin. This photopolymer has a Shore hardness of 86D and a balanced mechanical performance in terms of high tensile strength, high flexural strength, low strain rate, and low shrinkage and creep.
DLP 3D printing technology makes it possible to produce spare parts faster and more cheaply. | Image: RAYSHAPE
The competitive advantage of additive manufacturing gives engineers greater control over their processes and reignited a passion for technological innovation. Business is now more efficient and differentiated than ever. The pace of the production lines is more manageable, problems are solvable on site and can be fixed more efficiently. In terms of investment, Schneider’s team in Wuhan says it was able to 3D print more than 110 parts in five months, reducing costs by 80% and producing twice the volume compared to other methods. This compares very positively to CNC machining. The investment in 3D printing was already profitable for the company after the production of the 100th part. If you would like to learn more about this case study and how RAYSHAPE’s technology has enabled Schneider to speed up its production processes, visit the company’s website HERE.
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*Cover photo credit: RAYSHAPE
