About prototypes and small volumes
3D printing and print2mold have one thing in common: they are profitable from a small quantity. The production of components with machine-made injection moulding tools is only cost-effective from a quantity of more than 10,000 components. 3D printing in particular can convince in the test phase of applications with its high manufacturing speed and immediate readiness for use. Depending on the component, it is ready to ship in 1 to 3 days and can be easily ordered from the online 3D printing service. ZenRobotics also used 3D-printed plain bearings for the aluminium axis with grooved profile for the first prototype. The company then chose the print2mold process, in which the injection mould is produced by 3D printing. The decisive factors were the variety of materials and the low unit costs associated with injection moulding. The final plain bearings were made of iglidur J2. In this case, the print2mold component cost only a tenth of the laser sintering component (approx. €49/piece) at approx. €5/piece, and from 100 pieces onwards, the tool had also paid for itself. The tough plastic has good mechanical properties, is cost-effective and has good media resistance. In addition, the integrated solid lubricants make external lubrication of the plain bearings superfluous.
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