LZH uses large scale 3d printing for laser research by creating custom experiment environments with the BigRep VIIO 250.
Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH), a leading research center in Lower Saxony, Germany is dedicated to laser technology, encompassing the study of optics, lasers, quantum technologies, smart additive manufacturing, and other relevant fields.
The Optical Components Department in the institute focuses on photonic materials, smart optical devices, optical coatings, and optics integration. Joshua McCauley is a Research Associate in the department and a major portion of his work involves understanding the optical properties of different materials. Simply put, in his experiments, he beams laser onto optical samples and measures how much heat they absorb and how quickly they cool down.
Typically, aluminum chambers are used for these experiments but they proved limiting to Joshua as he faced challenges in creating a temperature-stable environment. The holes for the laser to enter and exit the chamber caused issues like unwanted airflow and temperature changes, making the experiment’s results unreliable.
The Challenge: Customizing Experiment Environments
The traditional aluminum experiment chamber had troubles with:
- Limited design flexibility constrained by fabrication methods such as injection moulding.
- Poor thermal isolation allowed external temperatures to interfere with experiments.
- High costs associated with outsourcing the construction of custom metal parts needed for the experiment.
- Optical experiments often require modular setups to house different configurations of laser beams. The aluminum chamber did not have custom parts for the entry and exit of the laser beams which led to convection issues and temperature fluctuations.
Large Scale 3D Printing for Laser Research
LZH has been well-equipped with the latest additive manufacturing machines, which include a BigRep machine – the STUDIO that had a solution for Joshua McCauley. Matthias Henzler, from the additive manufacturing department at LZH, stepped up to the task of fabricating the chamber using 3D printing.
“ We were looking for a large-scale 3D printer with two main requirements. It needed to have a closed build chamber and the ability to print with two materials at the same time and the BigRep VIIO fit the bill ”
– Matthias Henzler, employee at Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.
The Chamber Design
The chamber was designed with a reduced surface area to minimize the thermal effect of the lab environment and has two parts – a roof and a bottom half. In the middle, there is a piece where the laser beam passes through, which can be swapped out depending on the type of lens or angle required for the laser. This modular set-up is for easy adjustment which helps control unwanted airflow or temperature fluctuations.
The two walls in the chamber reduce the heat transfer and are only slightly connected at the bottom. The space between them can either be left empty or filled with insulating materials like foam or sand to further control thermal effects.
Reasons for Going Big with 3D Printing
- Design Flexibility
The ability to print complex, non-standard shapes allowed the team to create custom chambers that would be difficult or impossible to construct with aluminum. For example, modular chambers with swappable components could now be designed, offering the flexibility to modify the setup depending on the experiment. - Thermal Isolation
The dual-wall chamber design helps maintain a stable temperature. This configuration offers thermal isolation, as the walls were separated, and the space between them could be filled with insulating materials like foam or sand. The result was a reduced impact from external temperature fluctuations. - Scalability
With BigRep VIIO’s large build volume of 1000 mm x 500 mm x 500mm, the research team could print the entire chamber structure, not just small components. This scalability was essential for creating the large-scale parts needed for optical experiments, something desktop 3D printers couldn’t handle. - Cost Efficiency
Instead of outsourcing, which is both expensive and time-consuming, Joshua was able to have the chamber fabricated on-site with the BigRep VIIO. This eliminated the prohibitive costs and helped him experiment with design and prototype at lower costs.
Using the VIIO is stress-free because it reliably completes parts with minimal effort. Automation features like the one-click start, preheating, and bed mapping allow you to focus on other tasks while the printer produces precise parts.”
– Matthias Henzler.
WHY THE BIGREP VIIO 250
Advanced Automation
Automated features such as bed mapping, one-click start, filament flow rate adjustment, and x/y calibration save valuable time, and researchers can focus on other tasks.
Enclosed Build Chamber
The actively temperature-controlled build chamber heats up to 50°C and delivers consistent results regardless of the complexity or size of the parts.
Dual Extruders Print with Different Materials
One of the key features of VIIO that LZH was sold on was the 3D printer’s ability to print with two materials in a single print job.
Large-Scale Build Volume
The generous build volume of 1000 mm x 500 mm x 500 mm (250 liters) is perfect for large parts that LZH’s smaller 3D printers cannot handle.
Precise Parts
The VIIO 250’s print bed ensures uniform heat distribution for consistently robust parts and strong part adhesion which can be cleanly popped off as the printer cools down.
Ease of Use
The machine user interface has animated guides that deliver clear information, alerts, and warnings to help researchers easily manage their print jobs.
Seeing Optical Research in a New Light
Large-scale 3D printing offers the flexibility to explore big ideas that were previously cost-prohibitive for Joshua McCauley. Instead of outsourcing the production of the chamber, he was able to get it 3D printed in-house with the material of his choice which made experimentation affordable and well within his reach.
At LZH, the BigRep VIIO has created more opportunities for collaboration with industry partners interested in large-format 3D printing. The 3D printer is not just a tool for current projects but a key to future breakthroughs in optical research and industrial applications.
