\nBy integrating the flexibility and speed of additive manufacturing technologies with the precision of the CNC milling, BEAD offers companies an innovative, flexible and customizable technology solution<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
By itself, large-scale additive manufacturing cannot deliver the finish and tolerances subtractive manufacturing offers.
\nOn the other hand, subtractive manufacturing is accompanied by a lot of waste, which large-scale additive manufacturing is not.<\/p>\n
The combination of additive and subtractive manufacturing therefore gives the best of both worlds: additive manufacturing allows for significantly reduced machining times compared to milling processes, while the latter ensures machining accuracy and repeatability.<\/p>\n
The advantages offered by the two technologies<\/h2>\n
To sum up, the two technologies offer different advantages:<\/p>\n
3D printing<\/p>\n
- \n
- Design freedom<\/li>\n
- Near net shape<\/li>\n
- Automation<\/li>\n
- Recyclable materials<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
CNC MILLING<\/p>\n
- \n
- Smooth surface<\/li>\n
- Tolerances<\/li>\n
- Automation<\/li>\n
- Accuracy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
BEAD<\/strong> features all these advantages and can be possible in different configurations with variable extrusion outputs, printing volumes and orientations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Additive Manufacturing application sectors<\/h2>\n
Automotive and aerospace are the application sectors that have been driving the development of 3d printing technologies. These are sectors where Belotti SpA has been involved since the beginning of its activities and where the company gained an indisputable technological supremacy.
\nThe use of additive manufacturing processes greatly expand the application\u2019s scenarios and, Belotti’s choice to integrate additive manufacturing within its offer, goes in this direction.
\nThe application potential of this technology is endless: the first sectors that are targeted are the automotive, aerospace, marine and design, for which moulds, patterns, tools and final parts were produced.<\/p>\nBEAD technical features and main advantages<\/h2>\n
These are the main features of BEAD machine:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Integration of additive and subtractive manufacturing in a single hybrid solution<\/li>\n
- 5-axis printing of complex geometries<\/li>\n
- 45 degree orientation of the extruder<\/li>\n
- Extrusion output from 12kg\/h to 80 kg\/h to satisfy the different industry needs and their relative build volumes<\/li>\n
- Maximum extrusion temperature up to 400\u00b0C to print high performance materials<\/li>\n
- Electrospindle from 15 to 42 kW<\/li>\n
- Milling accuracy up to 0.01 mm\/m (linear) and +\/- 12 arcsec (rotational)<\/li>\n
- Milling toolchange positions from 8 to 60<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Main advantages:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Manual labour elimination for a more automated process<\/strong>: from a CAD geometry to the mould production without the making of a model<\/li>\n
- Lower investment<\/strong> and space optimization<\/strong> with respect to the single technologies<\/li>\n
- Shorter lead times<\/strong> and reduced production costs<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Less used<\/strong> and waste material for a more efficient production<\/li>\n
- Greater sustainability<\/strong> thanks to the use of reusable and recyclable materials<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"belotti-bead-the-3d-printing-and-milling-machine-gallery\"](\"https:\/\/www.belotti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/belotti-bead-the-3d-printing-and-milling-machine-gallery7.jpg\")
<\/h2>\n45 degree extruder orientation<\/h2>\n
BEAD differs from other 3D printing technologies on the market as allows different printing orientations. In addition to the traditional 90\u00b0 printing, BEAD 45\u00b0 orientation of the extruder enables to print also fully closed shapes without supports for undercuts, reducing printing time and improving interlayers adhesion, and to mediate mechanical and thermal properties of the material at needs.<\/p>\n
Thanks to this technological plus<\/em> customers can benefit from:<\/p>\n
- \n
- less material: no support for undercuts<\/li>\n
- less time: better interlayer adhesion<\/li>\n
- fully closed shapes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Workable materials<\/h2>\n
BEAD machine uses composite pellets<\/strong> made of a thermoplastic polymer matrix and different types of fibers as reinforcement<\/strong> (from glass to carbon and natural fibers) and can therefore be used for the realization of structural parts even of large dimensions, to be finished with the numerical control processing.
\nBEAD processes granules of different types of thermoplastic polymers<\/strong>: from commodity as PP, PETG up to high performance polymers such as PESU, PEEK.
\nDifferently from thermosettings, thermoplastics could be recyclable<\/strong> and re-used<\/strong>, making the process even more sustainable and less environmental impacting.<\/p>\nReasons for the success of Additive Manufacturing<\/h2>\n
The main reasons that push the industries to explore the world of Additive Manufacturing are linked to the following production drivers:<\/p>\n
- \n
- the updating of the production equipment through the exploration of emerging technologies;<\/li>\n
- the constant research for a more efficient way to produce;<\/li>\n
- the reduction of output times of R&D activities;<\/li>\n
- the increase in production flexibility.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
The integration of additive manufacturing with CNC machining matches even more closely to these drivers. The advantages offered by 3D printing technologies are combined with the ones on subtractive manufacturing: precision, repeatability, and speed. Integrating additive and subtractive manufacturing into a single, hybrid technology enables to exit the boundaries of prototyping and to enter the world of large-scale industrial mass production.<\/p>\n
- Lower investment<\/strong> and space optimization<\/strong> with respect to the single technologies<\/li>\n
- Manual labour elimination for a more automated process<\/strong>: from a CAD geometry to the mould production without the making of a model<\/li>\n