Mar 11, 2018 | By Tess
Cevotec, a German company specializing in Fibre Patch Placement (FPP), has announced it will be introducing its composite 3D printing technology to North America. The expansion will be realized through a collaboration with Composite Automation, LLC, a composite part manufacturer based in New Jersey.
Cevotec’s FPP technology is a particular type of additive manufacturing that enables the “automated production of geometrically complex fiber composites.” In slightly simpler terms, the Munich-based company’s technology “prints” small carbon fiber patches onto a surface with particular dimensions, resulting in a thin and flexible carbon fiber layer that can be added to components for extra strength.
“Similar to 3D printing, your component is additively, flexibly, and completely automated generated from fiber patches,” says the company. “The individual orientation of each patch according to the stress in the component significantly improves the mechanical properties such as stiffness and strength. Therefore, patch-based fiber structures can reduce the weight of your products significantly while increasing exactly those mechanical properties that you actually desire in your part.”
Through its recent partnership with Composite Automation, Cevotec will be introducing its FPP additive technology onto the North American market. The companies became acquainted after Cevotec’s demonstration at CAMX 2017.
“We are very happy to have John Melilli and his team at Composite Automation to introduce the benefits of patch technology to every composite manufacturer in North America,” said Thorsten Groene, Managing Director of Cevotec. “As a result of the positive feedback we received at CAMX 2017, we became convinced of the need to have a proactive presence in North America and Composite Automation is laser-focused on the markets we are pursuing.”
Cevotec also took part in the JEC Innovation Awards at JEC World 2018, a composite industry event held in Paris last week.
“Increasing throughput, first pass quality, reducing waste, and reducing reliance on touch labour are driving manufacturers to look for innovative automation solutions,” commented John Melili, Composite Automation President. “Cevotec offers just that – flexible lay-up systems based on additive patch technology. Their Composites 4.0 approach with a powerful software suite focuses on especially complex parts. We are delighted to represent them in North America and believe that Cevotec’s technology will replace many hand lay-up applications.”
Composites Automation will take on the role of Cevotec’s representative across the American, Canadian, and Mexican markets. The New Jersey-based company says it will offer Cevotec’s entire product portfolio including its “technology-as-a-service” platform.
As of 2018, Cevotec has also made some upgrades to its Samba FPP production cells, including adding the ability to process thermoset prepreg tape through the automated lay-up-systems (making the whole process more automated), as well as adding a commercial FEA software plug-in for its CAD-CAM Artist Studio software. This update reportedly enables "the efficient modeling and FE analysis of fiber patch laminates."
Posted in 3D Printer Company
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