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Automation Technologies 3/2015

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Automation Technologies 3/2015

CONTROL AND DRIVE

CONTROL AND DRIVE TECHNOLOGY Embedded controller controls an XXL-sized metal 3D printer Roland Simon They do look like coffee machines, those new small 3D printers that are currently released to the market for “domestic use“ by a variety of manufacturers. The company Concept Laser on the other hand thinks in other dimensions. They produce XXL-sized metal 3D printers. A compact Embedded Controller by Eckelmann controls all processes. In May 2014, by using the generative laser melting process LaserCursing, the company Concept Laser had successfully created an aluminum component additively with exceptionally large dimensions 474 × 367 × 480 mm 3 . This component was further to be used in a gear box. By doing so the company has achieved a unique feat in the field of metal 3D printing. The component was manufactured using the new in series produced X line 1000R machine by Concept Laser with a maximum production size of 630 × 400 × 500 mm 3 . Author: Dipl.-Ing. Roland Simon, manager of the Embedded Control Systems division at Eckelmann AG, Wiesbaden, Germany. AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES 3/2015

CONTROL AND DRIVE TECHNOLOGY next page About Company name: Eckelmann AG Headquarters: Wiesbaden, Germany Products: Embedded Controllers, I/O systems, Control systems, PLC and CNC solutions, Customer specific soltions in field of Automation. 01 The largest additive manufactured components part in the world: gearbox housing made from aluminum. The X line 1000 R was developed for manufacturing large components and technical prototypes without the use of tools and without compromising on the quality. The principle target sectors are the automotive and the aviation industries. The research and advancements in build-up rates and component sizes were made possible in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) which developed optics suitable for 1 kW laser power. The use of powerful laser drastically increased the build-up rates by a whopping 650 %. An Embedded Controller E°EXC 66 by Eckelmann is compact in size but controls the entire process of the machine. For as many as 15 years, the producer of machines for the industrial manufacturing of components made from metal powders trusts in the flexibility and performance of E°EXC controls. Apart from performance and reliability Eckelmann also offers a fantastic value for its price and competent product support. For innovative machines such as the X line 1000R, the support of the controls supplier is absolutely invaluable. Adaptable, customer specific solutions For the X line 1000R, the E°EXC 66 controller serves a central unit for all the bus devices as well as the safety controls. It controls all processes such as the transportation of powder, the layered elevation of powders to be fused, as well as the automatic regulation of other processes. The laser scanner is focused using an additional linear precision axis in order to achieve the maximum component dimensions of 630 × 400 × 500 mm 3 . Concept Laser uses the integrated IEC 61131-3 development system to program the application software. AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES 3/2015

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