German large-format 3D printing company BigRep, which became the newest member of the Direct Manufacturing Research Center (DMRC) an industrial research network in June, is on a mission to reshape the face of manufacturing with its large, serial production 3D printers. Founded four years ago in Berlin, with offices in Boston and Singapore, the company is committed to creating complete solutions in industrial sectors like automotive and aerospace.
Now, BigRep has announced an important development partnership with its strategic partner Bosch Rexroth, which supplies drive and control technologies. Together, the two companies will introduce a new dimension of industrial 3D printing, and set it up as an Industry 4.0 application in industrial production.
“This partnership demonstrates that Bosch Rexroth is constantly developing sustainable technologies and new factory automation solutions for the Factory of the Future,” said Thomas Fechner, Director of the Business Unit New Business at Bosch Rexroth.
As a result of this new development partnership, BigRep’s large-scale 3D printers, like the BigRep ONE and the Studio, will be equipped for the first time with excellent CNC control systems and drives by Bosch Rexroth. This will make BigRep’s 3D printers systems that are IoT-ready.
BigRep ONE 3D Printer
“Across industries, customers are looking for reliable, controllable and efficient 3D printers in order to manufacture top quality parts. As BigRep is the first to integrate CNC-grade control systems in 3D printers, we will re-define Additive Manufacturing,” said BigRep CEO Dr. Stephan Beyer. “The Rexroth controls are also an excellent platform for providing our 3D printers with full connectivity for existing production and automation systems. This will establish 3D printing as a key industry 4.0 application.”
Previously, Bosch Rexroth had predicted that in the future, industrial 3D printers will be faster and more reliable, which will make them far more suitable for use in mass production. Over the years, additive manufacturing has been busily setting itself up as an ideal manufacturing technology for the Factory of the Future, with major reported impacts on small serial production and prototyping.
Bosch Rexroth is also committed to 3D printing – it does offer AM components and solutions, after all. But in addition, the drive and control technologies specialist is using the technology, as stated in a BigRep press release, to “enable the fast and cost-efficient creation of models, patterns, prototypes, tools and end products.”
By following the lead that’s been set by BigRep and Bosch Rexroth in their partnership to combine large-scale, industrial 3D printing with drive and control technology experts, the additive manufacturing industry will be able to realize more cost-efficient and rapid creation of models, prototypes, tools, end-use products, and patterns.
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