See Airtech’s latest 3D printed tools at 50th anniversary JEC World booth

Airtech Advanced Materials Group is celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary with some exciting updates and special news at JEC World. Among the biggest (literally) highlights to see there will be the latest innovation in composite tooling, from a large mold tool demonstrator to a fully recycled one. These and several other innovations will be seen at Airtech’s booth E32, Hall 5.

With a 50-year legacy of pioneering innovation in the composites industry, our stability, Airtech has been one of the most proactive companies in embracing 3D printing to provide new and more viable solutions to its customer base.

Large-scale additively manufactured composite tooling has recently gained traction as a viable tooling option for the rapid production of molds, jigs and fixtures for prototyping and rate production tooling.

Benefits of this process include reduced lead time, reduced cost, reduced waste and proven long-term stability in autoclave at 180°C and 7 bar pressure. Airtech has successfully completed a circular life cycle for 3D printed large scale autoclave capable composite tooling.

That’s why Dahltram® can now also offer rePrint capability for circular life cycling of tooling. The rePrinted tool using recycled material will be displayed at JEC. This large additively manufactured carbon fiber reinforced composite mold tool was produced with Dahltram® I-350CF resin that has been recycled after use into usable pellet feedstock and then re-manufactured into a new usable composite tool.

Also on display at booth E32, Hall 5, a large and complex composite mold tool demonstrator that was printed and machined on a Thermwood 1040 LSAM 3D printer at Airtech Europe. It used the Dahltram® C-250GF, glass fiber reinforced material that cures at a temperature of 130°C (250°F) with a vacuum integral surface in an oven or autoclave.

The tool’s complex geometry integrates fork truck pockets and tooling inspection bushings, all within a design optimized to support airflow for even heat up of the tool’s surface. All this is only possible in a cost-effective way via AM technology.

At the JEC World Airtech booth (E32, Hall 5) the company will be displaying several more examples of composite tooling customer cases that have been 3D printed by its partners with the Airtech Dahltram® resins. In addition, the entire line of Dahltram® resins and Dahlpram® purging compounds will be available for visitors to see firsthand.