The materials and systems at the Fraunhofer Institute IMWS and the organization of the Brightlands Materials Center in the Netherlands will join forces to advance the thermoplastic composites 3D Printing . According to recent news, both sides plan to optimize fiber-reinforced thermoplastics for additive manufacturing applications on an industrial scale. In manufacturing, polymer composites are getting more and more attention from materials, mainly because of their properties.
Composites can include polymers that are embedded in carbon fibers, glass fibers, etc., and can produce components that match almost the strength of the metal but are lighter in weight.
In this specific initiative, the Fraunhofer Institute will work with the Brightlands Material Centre, an initiative of the Limburg and Tno provinces, to harness the advantages of fiber-reinforced thermoplastics and to combine it with the flexibility and design freedom associated with additive manufacturing. The first phase of the project will allow partners to investigate the additive manufacturing process to better understand how composites and am are optimally combined.
For example, the team will study how the fibres are embedded in the polymer matrix and how their orientation and orientation affect the mechanical properties of the printed parts.
The second phase will see joint researchers developing materials and am technology that are suitable for high impedance, custom parts or spare parts production in the automotive, aerospace and construction industries. It is understood that Germany's cooperation with the Netherlands stems from the history of the term coexistence between Saxony-Anhalt and Limburg, a history of common interest in the chemical and plastics industries.
The two regions also expressed their commitment to the development of renewable resources and technologies. IMWS and Brightlands jointly promote 3D printing of thermoplastic composites