Rapid 3D printed carbon composite material used for sensor housing box

For one important customer, IMAL had to create a quality control system to be placed at the end of the production line, based on TeraHertz wave (T-ray) technology.

The company approached Italian based CRP Technology for the manufacturing of the functional sensor housing box.

The application had to be created in a short time, and combine high mechanical characteristics (resistance to acceleration, stress and heat) whilst maintaining high level aesthetic standards.

Work began with analysis of the 3D and 2D files. Through know-how earned over 25 years of activity serving the most demanding and performing industrial sectors, CRP Technology was able to assist IMAL in choosing the best technology and material to guarantee the success of the project.

The Selective Laser Sintering process and Carbon-composite Windform XT 2.0 material (developed by CRP Technology itself) from the Windform family of composite materials was chosen for the project.

Windform XT 2.0 is a carbon fibre reinforced composite 3D printing material known for its outstanding mechanical properties. It is particularly suitable in demanding applications such as the motorsport, aerospace, and UAV sectors.

Windform XT 2.0 replaces the previous formula of Windform XT. It features improvements in mechanical properties including +8% increase in tensile strength, +22% in tensile modulus, and a +46% increase in elongation at break.

The choice of the material proved to be particularly appropriate: the sensor housing box also turned out to be electromagnetically shielded thanks to the Carbon filled composite material – an added bonus considered very important by IMAL.

For the first time IMAL couldn’t use mass-produced sensor housing boxes, as they would not have met the quality criteria of the company.

IMAL stated: "We turned to CRP Technology as we knew they would support us during the entire creation process, advising us on the best choice to get the product we wanted, and to manufacture it in the shortest time. The sensor housing box had to be in motion, and with the right mechanical characteristics to be fully functional. The box had to be aesthetically pleasing since the quality control systems are not only the flagship of our company, but also the top of sensor technology.

“This is our first experience with professional 3D printing, and we are very satisfied. Working with CRP Technology we had collaboration, high quality, competence and an open and constructive approach towards us."

To obtain higher feature tolerances, the sensor housing box was also CNC machined on a 5-axis machining centre. All the materials in the Windform TOP-LINE range of composite material can be CNC machined.

CRP Technology www.crptechnology.com