Additive Screen Printing technology opens up new possibilities in the manufacturing of industrial components. Ultra-fine wire mesh screens define the shape of the parts produced, enabling the creation of micro-precise components. This breakthrough enables applications that were previously not economically viable using traditional manufacturing methods such as turning, milling or injection moulding. In addition, additive manufacturing often simplifies the production process. Read more about the possibilities of Exentis technology in this blog.
Ra 2 µm Surface Quality: The Secret to Micro-Precise Parts
In Additive Screen Printing, the screens play a crucial role in shaping the parts. These screens, with wire diameters of 10 µm and mesh openings between 20 µm and 500 µm, enable the printing of incredibly fine structures. Such accuracy makes it possible to manufacture components with micro-level precision.
During the printing process, a squeegee is used to press the material paste through the screen and onto a workpiece carrier. Subsequently, the workpiece carrier holding the parts is seamlessly transferred to the drying station and then returned to the printing module. This process is fully automated and builds the parts layer by layer.
An optical calibration solution ensures high-precision screen positioning. The squeegee is placed on the screen with 1 µm accuracy. An optical quality assurance system guarantees the exact layer height, while flood coating and paste release are continuously monitored. This system achieves impressive results: wall thicknesses from 75 µm, channel widths from 125 µm, and surface qualities with roughness from 2 µm are achieved directly during printing – without post-processing.
New screens for altered geometries can be produced within 48 hours, allowing for high production flexibility. Exentis Additive Screen Printing technology is true Industrialized Additive Manufacturing. The build rate ranges from 5,000 to 10,000 cm3 per hour. This enables a single production system to manufacture over 5 million micro-precise components annually. The quantity depends on the size and characteristics of the parts.
Filters and Control Valves: Micro-Precise Additive Screen Printed Structures
Additive Screen Printing technology offers a major advantage: the ability to produce components with extremely fine structures on a micrometer scale. These are often much more challenging or sometimes impossible to achieve using conventional manufacturing methods. To illustrate this capability, consider the following examples:
Microfilter: additively manufactured instead of mesh filter
Traditionally manufactured filters often consist of mesh fabrics, enabling fine structures to effectively filter liquids such as oil. However, mesh fabrics can fray, compromising filter performance and requiring part replacement. When producing filters using Additive Screen Printing, the fine filter channels are directly manufactured into the component. This results in robust filters with micro-precise structures that exhibit improved filtration properties and have a longer lifespan.
Microfilter manufactured using Additive Screen Printing in comparison to a tiny coin
Labyrinth Discs
Labyrinth control valves consist of thin discs with channel structures stacked on top of each other. These channel structures form a complex network that efficiently regulates the flow of liquids or gas. Control valves are used in the oil, gas, and chemical industries to regulate process parameters such as pressure, flow, and temperature.
Thanks to the micro-precision of Additive Screen Printing, the manufacturing process has been drastically simplified. Multiple steps like turning, cutting, and milling of the discs are now combined into a single step in additive manufacturing. Additionally, the channel structures can be designed more flexibly.
Furthermore, Exentis Technology offers two more crucial advantages for this application: firstly, it effortlessly achieves the required surface roughness, and secondly, it enables true mass production. Both are key factors that make 3D screen printing indispensable for manufacturing these components.
Additively manufactured Labyrinth Discs
Optimizing Industrial Fabrication: Precision meets Efficiency
Additive Screen Printing is emerging as a key technology for manufacturing micro-precise, flat industrial components needed in large quantities. It offers a unique combination of precision and efficiency through additive manufacturing. Microfilters and Labyrinth Discs are just two examples that highlight their advantages.
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