Polymer forming machine for thermoplastic pellets

通过注射成型生产医疗器械和植入物的部件和组件是很普遍的。此外，通过不同的快速成型程序（RP，也称为3D打印或增材制造）的生产属于最先进的。然而，特别是在医疗技术中，需要经过认证或批准的材料，这些材料可以独立于所选的RP过程使用。该设备能够同时处理任何三种颗粒状热塑性塑料。因此，可以使用各自制造商批准用于医疗产品的正品材料。目的是使用该设备来回答医疗技术问题（例如，用于自动伤口闭合的植入物，放射性半透明驱动器，用于触觉用户交互的多轴力传感器等）。该设备应能够在一次操作中制造这些系统，并且无需大量返工即可进行实验研究。该装置用于颗粒状热塑性零件的增材生产。这确保了任何未经预处理的热塑性塑料（成型为长丝形式，涂层，粉末）都可以使用。因此，也可以部署具有特殊性能的塑料（弹性，导电性，可吸收性，半透明，磁性等），不能与其他系统一起使用。此外，还需要一种装置，该装置不以细丝或线的形式分发材料，而是以液滴的形式分发材料，以尽可能实现组件的最各向同性特性。最后但并非最不重要的是，需要一个系统可以同时处理三种不同的材料，以便处理支撑和几何结构以及特殊材料（见上文）。它应该可以制造的部件的尺寸高达约。³120×120×200毫米。过大的工作空间是无用的，因为工作空间中的温度梯度会导致部件变形。

The production of components and assemblies for medical devices and implants made of plastic by injection moulding is widespread. Also the production by means of different Rapid-Prototyping procedures (RP, also called 3D printing or additive manufacturing) belongs to the state of the art. Especially in medical technology, however, certified or approved materials are required that can be used independently of the selected RP process. The device applied for is capable of simultaneously processing up to any three thermoplastics in granulate form. Thus, genuine materials approved for medical products by their respective manufacturer can be used. The aim is to use the device to answer medical technology questions (e.g. implants for automated wound closure, radiotranslucent drives, multi-axis force sensors for haptic user interaction, etc.). The device should make it possible to manufacture these systems in a single operation and to conduct the experimental investigation without much reworking. The device is used for the additive production of thermoplastic parts in granulate form. This ensures that any non-pre-treated thermoplastics (forming into filament form, coating, powder) can be used. Thus, also plastics with special properties (elastic, electrically conductive, absorbable, translucent, magnetic etc.) can be deployed, which cannot be used with other systems. In addition, a device is required, which dispenses the material not in the form of a filament or thread but as droplets in order to achieve the most isotropic properties of the component possible. Last but not least, a system is required that can process three different materials simultaneously in order to process both supporting and geometric structures and special materials (see above). It should be possible to manufacture components with dimensions of up to approx. 120×120×200 mm³. An excessively large workspace is not useful, since the temperature gradient in the workspace can lead to deformation of the components.