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IUT of Limousin Visit www.DeepL.com/Pro for more information. 2013-2014

VI -5 -PROCEDEDE FREEFORM ARBURG (AKF)

It is a process dedicated to additive manufacturing and comes from one of the leaders in injection
presses for the plastics industry. It simply aims at freeing the mold to execute a plastic part. The shape is
no longer linked to the impression but to the addition of plastic micro beads projected in liquid phase on
a support.

The AKF process cannot deny a close relationship with plastic injection
moulding.

Bubble deposit of liquid plastic - beginning of the Production progress

cycle
Arburg has used its know-how for the design of injection moulding machines, in particular for the
preparation of the material prior to injection. The plastic is heated to the liquid or glass transition phase
in a pressure nozzle. The orifice control produces a drop of plastic which is projected onto the substrate
and then onto the previously cooled and thus hardened bubbles. Arburg considers several
configurations, one classic with a cross table and a displacement axis along the lamination axis. The
second is more original because it uses a 5-axis device which offers great freedom of realization.

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Detail of a projection nozzle Positioning with 5 axes under the nozzle

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The process was presented in the second half of 2013, it is too early to get feedback on the use or
real potential of this technology. Nevertheless, it presents an important breakthrough for plastic parts
made of good materials, as this process is designed to use the same materials as plastic injection.
Example of parts made

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