EOS and Sauber Technologies Sign 3-Year Additive Partnership

EOS, a supplier for manufacturing solutions via industrial 3D printing technology, and Sauber Technologies, a company devoted to bringing Sauber’s drive for innovation and its Formula One mindset to businesses globally, signed a 3-year additive manufacturing (AM) technology partnership at the Formula (F1) Grand Prix in Barcelona, Spain, in May.

The partnership will initially focus on the optimization and manufacturing of aerodynamic spoiler designs, end-use parts for race cars and production aids. Both companies are bringing their respective longstanding industry expertise to the partnership—with the aim of jointly expanding the use of AM in motorsports and beyond, the companies report.

“We see AM applications in F1 for both prototyping and serial production where reproducible part quality is key. Together with Sauber we are aiming to set new benchmarks here. With more serial AM applications in F1, automation will be essential too, enabling higher productivity and reduced costs per part. Sauber is the first customer for polymer-based AM, integrating this into its production, including the installation of an EOS P 500 system,” says Markus Glasser, senior vice president EMEA at EOS.

“EOS and Sauber share the same passion for application-driven design and the highest quality standards, which we want to offer in motorsports and beyond. From a technology perspective, we co-operate with EOS because its ecosystem of partners and sister companies not only enables the end-to-end solutions we need, including automation, but provides us with highly custom solutions via AMCM (Additive Manufacturing Customized Machines),” says Christoph Hansen, COO Sauber Technologies.

Sauber will be installing an EOS P 500 system in 2022, enabling them to scale up applications towards serial production in the future, with an option to include automation solutions. They will initially use the Polyamide 12 PA 2200 material. The EOS P 500 has a fast build rate and two 70-watt lasers for precise energy input into the powder during material melting. Unlike previous EOS systems, the EOS P 500 brings the material to optimum processing temperature before application, shortening the time required for recoating and exposure, the company notes.

Preheating and cooling of the interchangeable frame (with the 3D printed part) after production optionally takes place outside the EOS P 500. The system needs to be cleaned less frequently and serviced only once a year. The system can be integrated into existing MES/ERP systems and includes a range of solutions for process monitoring and system integration. This enables quality assurance on an industrial scale by evaluating extensive sensors as well as camera-based measurement data (optical and thermal).

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.

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