BAAM Machine This new Big Area Additive Manufacturing machine from Cincinnati Inc. can do 3-D printing of large plastic components and prototypes for industries including automotive, aerospace, appliances and robotics.
What's New? A working area of 6.6 feet by 13.1 feet by 2.9 feet for producing parts up to 10 times larger than what is typical for 3-D printers. Plus an extrusion rate of about 10 pounds per hour, using various thermoplastics as well as fiber-reinforced plastics for improved properties, such as strength or thermal stability. CI worked in cooperation with the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop a prototype BAAM machine (BAAM photo, right, courtesy of DOE).
Benefits The capability for 3-D printing of large-scale plastic components at high speeds that CI says run 200-500 times faster than the norm. BAAM features a linear drive system, touch-screen control and safety enclosure. Production models of the BAAM machine, which printed its first part in May, are in the works.
Cincinnati Inc., 513-367-7100, www.e-ci.com
