Andrew Allcock details yet
another additive manufacturing
process, one that supports both
metal and plastic 3D printing.
It uses standard metal powder
and plastic granules, using the
same material for both prototypes
and production parts
AIM3D’s ExAM255 machine
features two nozzles
Starting out in 2015, German start-up
AIM3D set out to revolutionise the
plastic and metal 3D printing world
by creating a machine that would offer the
potential to eventually become a standard
tool on every workbench.
The founders of AIM3D GmbH (https://
is.gd/sukisi) are all from the University of
Rostock on Germany’s east coast. Their
aim of producing a low-cost 3D-printing tool
was driven by the belief that widespread
use of additive manufacturing (AM) had so
far failed, because of high material and
machine costs. Added to that, still today
many 3D printers only accommodate a
single material and often rely on expensive
materials for printing. “It was our ambition
to create ‘the’ machine tool of the 21st
century that has a place in any company,
much like a lathe or milling centre in the
19th century,” says Robert Radon, head of
development mechatronics.
It took two years of development work to
complete the company’s ExAM255 (with the
UK’s Hepco playing a part, see box, right),
but now, with the operation having become
a commercial company in 2019, AIM3D
GmbH is ready to move into serial
production and is awaiting the patent for its
Another
process
14 October 2019 www.machinery.co.uk @MachineryTweets
/www.machinery.co.uk