LARGE PROTOTYPES MADE POSSIBLE WITH NEW PATENTED TECHNOLOGY FROM MATERIALISE AND DSM SOMOS® PROTOFUNCTIONAL® RESINS
15 September 2001 - DSM Somos

Using the recently commercialised DSM Somos® 9120 epoxy resin, Materialise is now able to produce tough, flexible parts of vast dimensions that allow designers and engineers to see their ideas 'materialised' and use them in realistic performance tests.

A European leader and visionary in the rapid prototyping industry, Materialise founder Wilfried Vancraen has built up an impressive client list of global leaders in the automotive, aerospace and consumer electronics industries, as well as research and design agencies. 'Materialise has been a pioneer in European rapid-prototyping services,' says Mr. Vancraen 'We've played an active part in the evolution of this industry and believe the next significant step will be the demand for rapid-prototyping of ever larger parts. Designers and industry engineers need to touch, feel, and demonstrate their design ideas, but must also respond to the time restraints posed by the competitive demands of our high-tech economy. To rapidly and economically meet these needs, high-tech materials are needed that allow the construction of accurate prototypes with superior material performances. Thanks to the DSM Somos® family of resins, this is a need Materialise can meet.'

See It Big
To prove the point, Materialise built for their own use a patented solid-state laser stereolithography machine, known in house as 'the Mammoth'. Officially announced at Euromold 2000 (Frankfurt, Germany) with the unveiling of the automotive dashboard, Materialise's 'Mammoth' has the physical capacity to build stereolithography prototypes of up to 2000 x 650 mm and 480 mm depth. Both Somos® 7120 and Somos® 9120 resins have been used in the Mammoth to create prototypes for customer applications. 'The results', says Bart Van Schueren, Prototyping Division Manager at Materialise, 'are outstanding. Using DSM Somos® resins, we recently produced this one piece dashboard. The dashboard measures 1550 x 550 x 480 mm and took less than 53 hours to build and finish, with exceptional cost savings to the client.'

Mr. Van der Schueren adds: 'One of the biggest problems we face with building prototypes in multi-part units is the warping and deformation which can occur during the process. Making large parts in single piece units has two benefits: accuracy and speed. By producing a single piece we avoid the complex division of the electronic stereolithography (STL) file as well as the assembly of the component pieces. This not only saves time, but more importantly improves both the mechanical strength and quality of the finished prototype.'

Mr. van Schueren is convinced that the demand for larger prototypes will increase. 'We believe the ultimate possibilities of stereolithography to be limitless, but as with any technology it's an evolutionary process. A decade ago, prototype engineers were fixed on subtractive technologies such as milling and grinding. Even simple prototypes could take weeks to produce. Stereolithography and the availability of DSM Somos® high quality ProtoFunctional® resins have been key in helping to shift the paradigm, especially with the introduction of the new Somos® 9120 resin. Without these resins the production of accurate, high quality parts would be difficult if not impossible. The beauty of the new Somos® 9120 material is that it combines strength with flexibility, properties which are ideal for large part prototyping, since larger components can break under their own weight.'

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