Digitalized Large Scale Additive Manufacturing (DiLAM)

Purpose and goal

The aim of DiLAM was to unite the digital and physical value chains for additive manufacturing used in industrial production and product development of large-scale components. The project has primarily focused on a technology where industrial robots are used as flexible 3D printers by attaching an extruder for thermoplastics at the end of the robotic arm. Using additive manufacturing opened up the possibility to dramatically lower lead time and costs in product development, and to manufacture customize components on demand.

Expected results and effects

The project has contributed to two test and demo environments for large scale robot based additive manufacturing where the project partners have demonstrated technology in robot control, robot security, ventilation, extrusion and process monitoring. Multiple industrial demonstrators have been developed within the project, for example furniture, individually designed kayaks, vacuum forming tools, waste water tanks, and the first seaworthy 3D printed motorboat in the world. The project has also valuated digital solutions for traceability and user customization of products.

Planned approach and implementation

The project pursued several simultaneous tasks, everything from development of the 3D printing technology itself, extrusion technology, process monitoring, design methodology, and software development, to manufacturing of demonstrators. The product owners in the project each selected one or more products to be manufactured to demonstrate the technology. The results have been communicated externally at conferences, scientific publications and several events. As a whole, the project has contributed to the establishment of robotic 3D printing as a manufacturing technology.