Evolve's B&R-controlled process fuses 2D-printed layers into solid 3D parts – combining the flexibility of additive tech-nology with the material quality and production volume of injection molding Photo B&R
Evolve Additive Solutions has succeeded in combining the flexibility of additive technology with the volume and quality of injection molding. Featuring a fully integrated B&R automation system, the Evolve SVP platform delivers the precision and reliability to make additive manufacturing a real alternative for high-speed, mass-customized serial production.
Additive technology has proven its value in prototyping, yet factors like material quality and unit costs have so far hindered its feasibility for end-use parts. Evolve has now succeeded in removing those remaining barriers. Its SVP (scalable volume production) platform is equipped with a full B&R solution that integrates motion control, process control, safety and HMI as well as IIoT-connectivity. “With the reliable high performance of our B&R solution, we’re ready to bring additive technology to the floor of tomorrow’s smart, connected factory,” says Evolve CEO Steve Chillscyzn.
10x faster than any industrial 3D printer
At the core of Evolve’s platform is its STEP (selective thermoplastic electrophotographic process) technology, which lays down layers of material – not unlike a 2D laser printer – and then fuses them into three-dimensional parts with uniform density and quality. This revolutionary approach achieves speeds up to ten times faster than any industrial 3D printer with the unique ability to create multi-material and multi-color parts.
Precision is quality
Material properties have also been among the main obstacles to the use of additive technology for serial production. With its automated motion control solution, Evolve is able to precisely synchronize the alignment of the 2D-printed layers between the reciprocating platens and the moving belt. Combined with high-performance pressure and temperature control during the fusing stage, Evolve is able to achieve an average surface roughness of only four microns, even without post processing.
Industrial IoT ready for sustained success
With the B&R system, Evolve’s platform is perfectly equipped to offer its customers the connected factory solutions they need to stay competitive. With digital molds stored in the cloud, they can produce identical parts anywhere in the world and implement new designs without having to produce new physical molds. Advanced maintenance solutions and machine upgrades can be implemented remotely to optimize availability while reducing costs.
2023 promises an interesting ride for print in India
Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and
multi-channel IPPGroup. While the print and packaging industries have been resilient in the past 33 months since the pandemic lockdown of 25 March 2020, the commercial printing and newspaper industries have yet to recover their pre-Covid trajectory.
The fragmented commercial printing industry faces substantial challenges as does the newspaper industry.
While digital short-run printing and the signage industry seem to be recovering a bit faster, ultimately
their growth will also be moderated by the progress of the overall economy. On the other hand book
printing exports are doing well but they too face several supply-chain and logistics challenges.
The price of publication papers including newsprint has been high in the past year while availability is diminished by several mills shutting down their publication paper and newsprint machines in the past four years. Indian paper mills are also exporting many types of paper and have raised prices for Indian printers. To some extent, this has helped in the recovery of the digital printing industry with its on-demand short-run and low-wastage paradigm.
Ultimately digital print and other digital channels will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future. For instance, there is no alternative to a rise in textbook consumption but this segment will only reach normality in the next financial year beginning on 1 April 2023.
Thus while the new normal is a moving target and many commercial printers look to diversification, we believe that our target audiences may shift and change. Like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.
Our 2023 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock and reconnect with your potential markets and customers. Print is the glue for the growth of liberal education, new industry, and an emerging economy. We seek your participation in what promises to be an interesting ride.
