SLS 3D Printing Opens Up Small and Medium Batch Production in Diverse Industries

When it comes to benefits of 3D printing, two that are often mentioned are the ability to customize parts as well as to produce small to medium batches in a cost-effective manner. And that is certainly what Germany-based IBL Hydronic has found. In order to help produce custom control systems for machines and vehicles, among other applications, the company has turned towards selective laser sintering (SLS), namely the Formlabs Fuse 1 ecosystem.

Since its founding in 1987 by Dr.-Ing Thomas Löcher, IBL Hydronic has become known for its custom electronic, hydraulic and software solutions. It works in a number of sectors including, but not limited to, construction, agriculture and forestry and specialized machines and vehicles. The company predominantly produces its components in-house and also focuses on addressing the individual challenges and needs of each customer, developing specific solutions for each one. For these reasons, 3D printing, through Formlabs’ Fuse 1 SLS 3D printer, provided the ideal solution.

The components of the control panel housing are printed on the Fuse 1 with Nylon 12 then smoothed and dyed (photo credits: Formlabs)

And they are not the only ones who are benefiting from Formlabs’s technology. In recent years, Formlabs has continued to innovate when it comes to their SLS and SLA solutions allowing for use in more sectors and for more applications. The company will show and demo the Fuse 1+ 30W among other products at their booth (Hall 11.1, Booth E11) at Formnext 2022, including parts from IBL Hydronic. We took a closer look at how SLS 3D printing could be used for both functional prototypes and complex hydraulic end-use parts, as well as what else attendees can expect to see from Formlabs at Europe’s premier additive manufacturing conference this year.