Case study
Large Format Additive Manufacturing solutions can play a game-changing role in product and process optimization, contributing to fighting climate breakdown. With Caracol's LFAM system Heron AM it was possible to support the ultimate purpose of circular economy, as demonstrated with the research project Demo4Green - ๐ฅ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ-๐ช๐๐ฆ๐ง๐ โ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒโ, a project organized by EIT Manufacturing and MADE Competence Center 4.0 in Italy.
Using recycled glass fibers and polypropylene, the company has been working to produce components for the energy sector. The company focused its effort on developing a glass fiber lamination tool for micro wind turbine blades (these turbines are used in urban and rural areas to generate power for factories, offices, buildings, ...).
With its LFAM system HeronAM, Caracol 3D printed a lamination tool for micro wind turbines out of recycled material, achieving and providing evidence of several tangible benefits if compared with traditional processes, such as:
โ๏ธ improved lead time by 50%
โ๏ธ increased raw material saving by 72%
โ๏ธ enhanced waste reduction by 90% compared
The application was validated also from a technical standpoint. The dimensional tolerances and surface roughness of the component were maintained, while the material porosity was equal to a maximum of 0.2 mm.
Wevolver 2023