The MX3D Robot Arm is designed by the engineers of Altair, 3D printed by MX3D and serves as a replacement part for a ABB robot.
The large scale optimised part was first presented to the public back in November 2019, just before installation. After a pause in the project due to the corona crisis, the installation of the optimised part in the original industrial robot has now successfully been completed by the project team.
The Robot Arm project now covers the complete process, starting from disassembly, reverse engineering, optimising, printing, finishing and finally assembling and using the robot. The goal of the joint project is to enable the manufacturing of customized replacement parts. This allows for a rapid and automated production of large-scale parts that normally requires extensive tooling and overseas production, causing long lead times and limited customization
options.
The 50% weight reduction of the robot arm showcases the power of optimization, while the combination of near-net-shape metal printing and conventional machining highlights the fast lead time and flexibility Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) can offer within the heavy industry. Equipment manufacturers and sellers now have the possibility to manufacture spare parts in-house, without the need of an external casting and milling company.
Interested in having a specific heavy equipment part to be printed and/or optimized? Reach out to projects@mx3d.com for inquiries.
For more information on our software: software@mx3d.com.
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