RESEARCH OF NEW MATERIALS FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING IN HIGH VALUE-ADDED APPLICATIONS

Additive manufacturing is considered one of the enabling technologies in the process of evolution and convergence of companies in the plastics sector towards the concept of Industry 4.0. This technology makes it possible to manufacture functional parts with high added value, competing with of traditional machining and forming processes.

AIMPLAS, Technological Institute of Plastic, is immersed in the 3D FUTURE project that has the financial support of IVACE and aims to develop improved formulations from biocompatible polymer compounds, resins and technical thermoplastics with improved properties, adapting their characteristics to the specifications of the 3D printing process using FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling), SLA (Stereolithography) and bio-printing technology.

This will suppose an important advance in the manufacturing possibilities using additive technologies that apply new materials developed for products with high added value. It will be demonstrated by the validation of participating companies, that the formulations developed within the framework of the project are consistent with the demands.

The project focuses mainly on three sectors: the health and medical sector, the telecommunications and aeronautical-aerospace sector. Three industries that share short runs and high added value. In addition, these are sectors lacking plastic materials and improvements in additive manufacturing processes that allow them to incorporate these technologies into their demanding final appliances.

The project has the cooperation of the companies AVANTEK GROUP, 2ACAD, 3DFILS, 3DWHOLE and SICNOVA. In addition, the project has the participation of the Institute of Telecommunications and Multimedia Applications (ITEAM) of the UPV, the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology of the Faculty of Pharmacy (University of Valencia General Studies) and the University Miguel Hernández de Elche and with the financing of the Conselleria d'Economia Sostenible, Sectors Productius, Comerç i Treball of the Generalitat Valenciana through grants from IVACE with the co-financing of the FEDER funds of the EU, within the FEDER Operational Program of the Valencian Community 2014 -2020. These grants are aimed at technological centers of the Valencian Community for the development of non-economic R&D projects carried out in cooperation with companies for the year 2019.