Held recently in Frankfurt, Formnext 2024 featured some eye-catching advances in the field of additive manufacturing innovation and world premieres in this field at the heart of Formnext 2024 in Frankfurt, with 864 exhibitors presenting their innovations and unveiling new products.
Also read: How Additive Manufacturing is Reshaping Industries and Production Processes in 2024
Caracol's Ground-breaking Vipra AM: A New Era for Large-Scale Metal Parts
In the field of large format additive manufacturing (LFAM), an exciting development for the additive manufacturing landscape was the introduction of Vipra AM by Caracol: a revolutionary technology that transforms how large-scale metal parts are produced.
Looking to deliver on its mission of enabling manufacturing companies globally to produce advanced large-scale industrial parts efficiently and sustainably, Caracol’s new robotic platform aims to transform how large format metal components are made.
Vipra AM is a robotic large-scale Direct Energy Deposition platform that leverages wire arc additive manufacturing processes, seamlessly developed into a hardware, software, and automation proprietary turnkey system. The platform was created to maximise users’ flexibility, control, and performance, expanding LFAM’s possibilities to a broader range of applications.
“At Caracol, we believe that the future of manufacturing lies in combining a strong application focus with advanced innovative technologies that reshape the capabilities of industrial production lines,” states Francesco De Stefano, CEO of Caracol AM. “With Vipra AM, we’ve leveraged the extensive know-how developed over years working on advanced process control and software for Large Format AM with thermoplastics and composites materials, to develop a proprietary cutting-edge metal platform that combines state-of-the-art hardware and software, with advanced robotic monitoring and automation. Thanks to this innovative technology, we want to enlarge the possibilities of industrial manufacturers to produce their most complex large-scale projects.”
New Vipra Configurations: XQ and XP for Superior Performance
Adopting its application-first approach, Caracol spent years developing projects and scaling parts production with Vipra AM to develop the best platform that could target specific needs and applications. Due to this extensive work, Caracol is unveiling two new configurations of Vipra:
- Vipra XQ (Extreme Quality): Leverages Plasma Arc Deposition technology to produce extremely high-quality components with exceptional finishing and precision. It is best suited for applications that require superior strength and precision, and can process an incredibly broad range of metals, including stainless steels and titanium alloys. The system is ideal for large-scale, high-strength, high-integrity parts for sectors such as aerospace (e.g. load-bearing brackets and structural components) and energy (e.g. valves, gauges, and structural piping connectors).
- Vipra XP (Extreme Productivity): Focused on maximizing productivity and minimizing operating costs in the manufacturing process of complex large-scale metal projects. Its unmatched throughput combined with its ability to print also aluminium and nickel-based materials makes the system ideal for parts where lead times and lightweight are critical, such as transportation industries (e.g. automotive components, aerospace pressure vessels, marine propellers) and lower-end architectural applications (e.g. sculptures, lightweight organic structures).
In both its different product configurations, Vipra AM was built to successfully produce advanced applications such as load-bearing finished parts, lightweight structures, high-temperature, high-durability autoclave and curing moulds, cladding, repair, and on-demand spare parts.
Revolutionising Metal Additive Manufacturing with Vipra AM
"The launch of Vipra AM represents a significant breakthrough for the metal additive manufacturing innovation industry," says Gianrocco Marinelli, Metal Additive Manufacturing Director at Caracol. "In today's competitive market, manufacturers face mounting challenges, from material waste and long lead times to the pressure of reducing costs while maintaining high performance. Vipra AM introduces cutting-edge capabilities and complements existing processes, enabling hybrid production models that combine legacy techniques with advanced metal deposition to help manufacturers optimise production lines, reducing waste, accelerating lead times, and driving overall efficiency without overhauling their entire operations."
Renishaw and RoboWAAM: More Advances in Additive Manufacturing Innovation
Meanwhile, the UK’s Renishaw used the show to launch the latest in its RenAM 500 series of metal additive manufacturing machines — the RenAM 500D. This dual laser variant provides additive manufacturing (AM) users with flexibility, productivity, and cost-efficiency, lowering the entry barrier to highly productive metal AM.
The new machine is designed to offer exceptional product quality and productivity for a wider range of budgets. The RenAM 500D features two 500 W lasers that can access the entire build platform, delivering superior performance when compared with single laser systems. Additionally, the RenAM 500D Ultra, fitted with Renishaw’s TEMPUS™ technology, allows the laser to fire while the recoater is moving, saving up to nine seconds per build layer. This also helps to deliver a production speed up to three times faster than conventional single laser systems.
“The new dual laser system enhances the current RenAM 500 portfolio, providing exceptional productivity at a competitive cost,” explained Louise Callanan, Director of Additive Manufacturing at Renishaw. “By making high-quality AM systems more productive than ever, we aim to lower the entry barrier to this advanced technology and encourage wider adoption across different industries.”
WAAM3D’s RoboWAAM XP: A Game-Changer for High-Performance Materials
WAAM3D, a leading innovator in the field of Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), announced the launch of its new large format RoboWAAM XP fully integrated system at Formnext this year. The solution contains Cranfield University’s cutting-edge, patented Cold-Wire Gas Metal Arc (CWGMA) process that enables superior deposition rates of up to 15 kilograms per hour, without compromising on the quality and precision required for high-performance materials.
RoboWAAM XP expands the size and mass capabilities of the company’s family of integrated systems and works natively with alloys of iron, aluminium, nickel, and copper. It has been under development since 2018, and under industrial testing over the last two years with trusted partners in the energy, space, marine, and mining industries with impressive results.
Featuring a maximum build envelope of 2 x 2 x 2 metres, and a maximum payload of 2.1 tonnes, the RoboWAAM XP fully integrated system is an example of additive manufacturing innovation. It is ideal for manufacturing industries that have a requirement for large-scale spare parts with a short lead time.
Conclusion: Pushing the Boundaries of Additive Manufacturing Innovation
The Formnext 2024 exhibition highlighted several breakthroughs in additive manufacturing innovation, showcasing advanced systems that promise to reshape industries. Whether it’s Caracol’s Vipra AM, Renishaw’s RenAM 500D, or WAAM3D’s RoboWAAM XP, these innovations illustrate the growing potential of additive manufacturing innovation to optimise production processes, reduce lead times, and elevate the manufacturing capabilities of businesses worldwide.
