The use of additive manufacturing in aerospace, automotive and other extreme end-use industries is steadily becoming the norm, but size continues to be one of the challenges in further adoption of the technology. Roboze, a 3D printer technology company founded in Italy with U.S. headquarters in Houston, has focused on filling the gaps requested by customers and has taken on large-format printing with its newest 3D printer, the ARGO 1000.
Although it won’t be available until sometime in 2022, the ARGO 1000 will be the world’s largest 3D printer and will be able to print parts up to one cubic meter, approximately 40 inches by 40 inches by 40 inches. Designed for use with super polymers and composite parts, the newest machine has the potential to change the industrial 3D printing game for large customized or batch parts that need to be lightweight, have a superior finish and be strong enough to work like a metal.
“After years of specializing in super polymers and high-temperature composites and paving the future of industrial 3D printing, we are excited to introduce our flagship Production Series solution, ARGO 1000,” said Alessio Lorusso, Roboze founder and CEO. “Since we announced the opening of our new headquarters in North America earlier this year, we have grown our global customer base and invested in R&D to fulfill customer demand for a much larger 3D heated chamber super polymer printer.”
The Need for Larger Printers
The ability to print larger parts has long been a goal for the industry, as well as many of its customers. The cost savings alone has made 3D printing such parts a must-have over traditional techniques, such as injection molding, which require extensive time, mean potential supply chain slowdowns and other production delays. When it comes to certain high-performing industries, the ability to create prototypes, tools and manufacturing aids on a larger platform creates the potential for customization, finding problems before they happen and minimizing the 3D printing itself, all of which are needed to succeed and stay ahead of the competition.
Most current 3D printer offerings often mean printing portions of a larger part instead of printing the entire part in one go from start to finish. Luckily, many leaders in the additive manufacturing industry are developing solutions to accommodate larger parts. Meltio, offers a metal 3D printing solution with a 150 x 200 x 450 mm (5.9 x 7.9 x 17.7 in) build envelope while RIZE launched its 7XC earlier this year, which has a 370 x 390 x 450 mm (14.6 x 15.4 x 17.7 in) build volume and uses composite materials.
These printers also provide the advantage of large batch part production. With global supply chain issues constantly in turmoil and overseas production methods becoming antiquated, manufacturers need a new, fast and high-volume solution. Larger 3D printers often allow for a build tray with the capacity to print 10 to a thousand parts, significantly reducing reliance on overseas suppliers and minimizing the need for warehouse space. They also offer versatility to accommodate changes and improve processes.
What Makes the ARGO 1000 Different?
Since it was founded in 2013, Roboze has steadily built a strong portfolio of printers and has become known for its high-temperature fused filament fabrication (FFF) systems. This innovation paved the way for the creation of its high-performance materials—PEEK, Carbon PEEK and ULTEM AM9085F—as suitable replacements for metals, furthering reducing reliance on global supply chains and building sustainability into 3D practices.
While there were no doubt challenges along the way to ensure that PEEK and other materials were suitable for large parts, Roboze proved it could produce printers to meet this challenge with the launch of its ARGO 500, which was released earlier this year. Its success prompted Roboze to create a U.S. headquarters and has further launched the company into becoming a well-known leader and innovator in the industry.
Scaling up its efforts resulted in the ARGO 1000. As part of the company’s Professional Series, along with the ARGO 500 and ARGO 350, the new printer is viewed by Roboze as a flagship solution.
“We have gone far beyond prototypes and are now building custom components for miniature satellites, gears for military-grade vessels, and parts for companies developing the nation’s sustainable infrastructure,” Lorusso, said. “Our technologies ensure precise process control is maintained through the automation of every setting and calibration phase, resulting in continuous accuracy, repeatability, and the certification of every single part produced.”
While the ARGO 500 offers a build size of 500 x 500 x 500 mm and the ARGO 350 is designed with a double gear system for optimizing filament pressure and dissipating heat, the newest ARGO model offers the best of both of those printers in a much larger size. The ARGO 1000 includes the company’s proprietary beltless technology. According to the company, that means parts are six times more precise, with handling accuracies up to 10 microns.
The ARGO 1000 produces parts comparable to those done via CNC machining or injection molding while revving up the accuracy and providing 99.96 percent repeatability of parts. The ARGO 1000 features two high-temperature extruders, allowing for printing with more than 10 filaments. Depending on the usage, the printer offers versatility in that users can choose to process soluble and breakaway supports if needed.
The machine is optimized to print with optimal formulations and has a loading system up to 17.6 pounds of filament. An automatic material change occurs if more material is needed before the print is finished. Automatic bed leveling and nozzle calibration systems ensure that materials are efficiently used, which also helps to free up users’ time to focus on other tasks to enhance production.
The ARGO 1000 features an innovative heated and controlled working chamber that offers a “homogeneous working environment aimed at consolidating the parts with a perfect thermal fusion of each layer in order to achieve exceptional mechanical properties.” For users, that means a finished part is produced with the mechanical properties needed. During the print process, material management systems are included in the machine. This means automatic material loading and usage monitoring, as well as drying and preheating systems, are included.
As industries are in the midst of a new revolution, Roboze has ensured that its printers are up to the connected challenge. The ARGO 1000 is designed for the future of industry and includes software that enables remote management and seamless integration with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for enhanced production flow. Users can quickly program production, monitor parameters and obtain data for analysis, which enables them to resolve downtime and mitigate failures. A Print Log System verifies each part, ensuring that all the right factors come together for a proper build every time.
For companies looking to print larger and increase the number of parts being printed, the ARGO 1000 may be just the next innovation they need. Its size, proven technologies and certified materials are set to enable the optimization of time and cost reduction while having the versatility for change and customization. While it is set to be available in 2022, other specifications of the printer have not been released. To learn more or to get a quote, visit the Roboze Professional Series website.