GreenTech3D - New Generation Green Technology for Post-Processing of 3D Printed Parts

GreenTech3D - 用于 3D 打印零件后处理的新一代绿色技术

• 批准号: 87644
• 金额: $ 11.12万
• 依托单位: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES LTD
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Collaborative R&D
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=87644
• 关键词: GreenTech3D; New; Generation; Green; Technology

Covid-19 and geopolitical uncertainties are bringing significant changes into the global manufacturing, logistics and free trade. This has increased uptake of the on-demand 3D printing manufacturing in UK, USA and Europe, especially for the manufacture of medical articles, Covid-19 testing devices, PPE and personal accessories \[Nature, _The global rise of 3D printing during the COVID-19 pandemic, 12 August 2020\]._3D printing offers the capability to rapidly create necessary medical articles locally within the UK. This ability is of strategic national importance, especially in the times of crisis and shortage of vital components as seen during Covid-19 epidemic. In many cases it is faster for the local hospitals and institutions to receive specialised parts by 3D printing them at the point of use rather than from the central government. Nationwide, there are many 3D printing systems both in commercial and academic capacity and this resource must be utilised.Due to the layer-by-layer nature of 3D printing, the printed articles result in rough, powdery and porous surfaces. This causes the accumulation and growth of bacteria, fungi and increases the risk of the loose polymer particles attacking the respiratory system as noted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and FDA guidelines for 3D printing. This issue prevents any further use of 3D printed articles for oral/respiratory medical purposes.Current methods for the post-processing of 3D printed surfaces involve mechanical abrasion techniques, that do not seal the surface and create polymer micro-fibres that can attack the respiratory system. Furthermore, these methods discharge hundreds of litres of micro-plastic polluted freshwater. Therefore, current post-processing techniques are not adequate for the smoothing of articles to be used for medical respiratory purposes. Fully green and sustainable post-processing technology would provide a massive boost to the general adoption of industrial 3D printing in medical market.Additive Manufacturing Technologies (AMT), a Sheffield-based developer and manufacturer of smart Additive Manufacturing systems, has developed a new generation green technology to be used in its vapour-based BLAST smoothing process.The adaptation of such technology would replace traditionally pollutant post-processing methods thus increasing the sustainability and environmental factor in the whole 3D printing process cycle. This follows multiple announcements, policy changes and numerous grants for the industry to move towards clean sustainable technologies and replace old polluting equipment.

新型冠状病毒疫情和地缘政治的不确定性正在为全球制造业、物流和自由贸易带来重大变化。这增加了英国，美国和欧洲按需3D打印制造的吸收，特别是用于制造医疗用品，Covid-19测试设备，PPE和个人配件\[Nature，_The global rise of 3D printing during the COVID-19 pandemic，12 August 2020\]。3D打印提供了在英国本地快速创建必要医疗用品的能力。这一能力具有国家战略重要性，特别是在危机和关键部件短缺的时期，如2019冠状病毒病疫情期间。在许多情况下，当地医院和机构通过在使用点3D打印而不是从中央政府获得专业部件更快。在全国范围内，有许多商业和学术能力的3D打印系统，必须利用这一资源。由于3D打印的逐层性质，打印的物品会导致粗糙，粉状和多孔表面。这会导致细菌、真菌的积累和生长，并增加松散聚合物颗粒攻击呼吸系统的风险，正如世界卫生组织（WHO）和FDA 3D打印指南所指出的那样。这个问题阻碍了3D打印制品进一步用于口腔/呼吸道医疗目的。目前3D打印表面后处理的方法涉及机械磨损技术，该技术不会密封表面并产生可能攻击呼吸系统的聚合物微纤维。此外，这些方法排放了数百升微塑料污染的淡水。因此，目前的后处理技术不足以平滑用于医疗呼吸目的的制品。完全绿色和可持续的后处理技术将大大推动工业3D打印在医疗市场的普遍采用。增材制造技术（AMT）是一家位于谢菲尔德的智能增材制造系统开发商和制造商，开发了新一代的绿色技术，用于其蒸汽基BLAST平滑工艺。采用该技术将取代传统的污染物后处理工艺，因此，在整个3D打印工艺周期中增加了可持续性和环境因素。此前，该行业发布了多项公告，政策变化和大量赠款，以转向清洁可持续技术并更换旧的污染设备。