Penn State Chooses ROBOZE One+400 Xtreme to Develop Plastics for AM

The Pennsylvania State University, a 3D printing institution that operates the Center for Innovative Materials Processing through Direct Digital Deposition (CIMP-3D), has increased its capabilities for advances in 3D printing by choosing a new FFF solution, ROBOZE One+400 Xtreme. CIMP-3D includes several additive manufacturing (AM) systems as well as a design studio and prototyping laboratory. Current research activity within the center is directed at the development of technologies that will enable greater use of additive manufacturing in industry.

The ROBOZE One+400 Xtreme will be located within Penn State’s Department of Chemical Engineering. The new 3D printer is specifically designed to produce functional finished parts with high performance and easily prints advanced composite materials suitable for extreme operating conditions. It is equipped to enable new, significant innovations in the FFF 3D printing technology sector.

“ROBOZE One+400 Xtreme will be used to examine novel polymers to help to fundamentally understand the 3D printing process and as a tool to enable custom equipment more cost effectively than can be obtained with machining metals while also allowing for designs not possible with traditional manufacture” says Professor Bryan D. Vogt from the Department of Chemical Engineering. “The ROBOZE One+400 Xtreme will allow Penn State to leverage its expertise in materials science, engineering and characterization to enable new solutions to problems through additive manufacturing.”

ROBOZE solutions feature the Beltless System, which introduces a direct movement of the X and Y-axes, entrusted to hardened steel rack and pinions. The repeatability of the movements is guaranteed by the gear teeth and ensures smoothness of the movement, quietness, positioning precision equal to 0.4 mil/0.01 mm and easy and fast maintenance operations.

The manufacturer’s choice of these components is fundamental to guarantee the best quality printing of high-temperature polymers like PEEK.

“The ability to use custom filaments and control the print processing was a critical factor in selecting ROBOZE. The flexibility allowed by ROBOZE along with its excellent printing capabilities is well aligned with the discovery-oriented research mission of the university to expand knowledge and its application,” continues Vogt. 

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.