Aim: LEAN aims to utilize laser-based 3D printing technologies, particularly SLA and SLS, for producing end of arm tools (EOAT) sections that are accurate, lightweight, and have a high-quality finish, contributing to thefficiently pickingmall plastic parts from an injection mold.
Brief description: The project explores SLA and SLS printing technologies, focusing on various printers like Formlabs Form3B, Stratasys Neo, and 3D Systems Projet 6000 HD. It evaluates the printers based on material compatibility, design freedom, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness, leading to the development of lightweight and efficient EOATs.
Benefits: Adopting SLA printing technology, particularly with Formlabs 3B, leads to significant weight and part count reduction in EOATs, simplifies the supply chain, offers a wide range of material options, and enables the integration of advanced features like custom compensation mechanisms, thereby increasing pick success rates.
Results: LEAN project successfully developed EOATs using the Form 3B printer, achieving a 46% weight reduction and an 84% part count reduction compared to existing solutions. The project demonstrated the potential for in-house manufacturing, reducing lead times and inertia of the tool, and highlighted the substantial benefits of using SLA parts in EOATs.
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