STAUFF 3D-printed clamps - Story in the Trade Magazine Fluid Markt

Accessories thanks to its cooperation with one of the market leaders in industrial 3D printing. “It is also convenient and time- saving that the cost and delivery times for the required component are immediately displayed when a customer orders online at stauff.com, ” explains Mark Wever, Glo- bal Chief Digital Officer at Stauff. “Instant quoting minimises the time involved in cal- culation, eliminating the waiting time for a quotation.” A survey conducted by Stauff in cooperation with RWTH Aachen University showed that OEM customers gain a clear competitive edge from this new product service. Mark Wever: “Demand is strong, and Stauff is one of the first full-line providers of hydraulic line system compo- nents to offer 3D printing in this form.” From the manufacturer‘s point of view, it is specifi- cally the procurement of all components, from proto- types to series products, from a single supplier and the personal support from Stauff experts that sets Stauff apart. There is a great need for advice when the fastening conditions are challenging: tight installation spaces, different diameters of tubes, hoses and cables, or the combination of clamps with other components. Stauff consultants are available well before the CAD data is uploaded to assist with the optimum design of the faste- 1 The components can withstand similar loads to components produced „traditionally“ 2 Additive manufac- turing is ideal for the production of smaller quantities of custom designed special clamps. ning components. If customers cannot or do not want to take over the design themselves, the CAD models can be created on request, the end products checked and, if necessary, optimised. “We supervise the entire process of rapid prototyping or rapid production of small quantities and are then also on hand as a manufacturing partner for larger series of the components,” explains Wever. Load-bearing and durable Polyamide plastics are used as standard in the additi- ve manufacturing of fasteners for tubes, hoses, cables and other components in line with the manufacture of Stauff clamps, large volumes of which are usually injec- tion-moulded. Tests in the Stauff test centre show that components produced by selective laser sintering can withstand similar loads to components produced ‘tradi- tionally’. This statement is also confirmed by manufactu- rer-independent tests. Custom designed special clamps have always been part of the Stauff range. They might be clamps for seve- ral lines of different diameters, which are not part of the standard range nor part of the recently extended range of multiple clamps. In the past, these special pro- ducts were also mechanically manufactured, using CNC machining centres to shape the plastic sheet material into the required form. This method is compa- ratively complex and time-consuming, as the machines need to be individually programmed and set up. Mechanical manufacturing is therefore more of an option for medium-sized quantities. But this machi- ning process naturally produces ‚waste‘. Mark Wever: “3D printing is the ideal solution for the economical production of small quantities.” rso ■ At a glance ■ Delivery of smaller quantities, prototypes or custom designed special clamps at short notice ■ Convenient calculation through instant quoting ■ Fully functioning polyamide plastic products ■ Production using the ultra-precise SLS process ■ No mechanical ageing of the components ■ Maximum design freedom 2 1