Manufacturing With 3D Printing

Nov 11, 2015

Mecspe, the international exhibition about technologies for innovation that will take place in the fairground of Parma from the 17^th to the 19^th March 2016, there will be a demonstrative area dedicated to the use of 3D printing in the industrial sector. It will be possible to see the production flow that starts from modelling and gets to the end item, passing through the creation of the mould with additive technology and injection moulding.

Mecspe keeps on growing also from the point of view of the so-called 4.0 Industry, the new production way that involves seven key subjects: additive manufacturing, internet of things, augmented reality, virtual reality, robotics/artificial intelligence, nanotechnologies and social manufacturing. Many of these subjects are widely considered during this international exhibition about technologies for innovation that will take place from the 17^th to the 19^th March 2016 in the fairground of Parma, but a particular relevance will be given to the Additive Manufacturing, that nowadays is known as 3D printing: to it is dedicated one of the nine trade shows of MecSpe Mecspe. The other trade shows of the next edition are Macchine e Utensili (machine tools, tools and equipment), Fabbrica Digitale (IT technologies for the management of an intelligent factory),Motek Italy (factory automation), Power Drive (systems, components, mechatronics), Control Italy(metrology and quality control), Logistica (systems for the logistics management, machines and equipment),Subfornitura (machinings on behalf of a third party: plastic materials machinings, mechanical machinings, metal sheet machinings) and Eurostampi (moulds and moulding). A format that demonstrated to reach the visitors and this is confirmed by some numbers: the 2015 edition registered 33,673 visitors, 1,281 exhibitors, 31 working isles, 15 theme districts, 9 theme trade shows, 10 excellence squares, 103 conventions and mini-conferences organized by companies, universities and research institutes.

3D printing within the production flow

A big interest has been addressed to 3D printing in all its variations, from the low-cost one for the models suitable for the creation above all of models for visual checks to the high range one able to produce final pieces made of plastic and metallic materials. In particular in the Demonstrative Area “Manufacturing with 3D printing”, the most innovative technologies – but at the same time mature to enter the production flow of small, medium and big companies without surprises – are used in order to show concretely how it is possible to start from a model and get to a final item, ready to use. The Demonstrative Area, placed within the Additive Manufacturing exhibition but connected to Eurostampi for affinity, is divided into three zones. In the first one is working a normal computer with the programmes necessary to 3D printing (from the CAD that created the model of the item which was to be printed, to the different software necessary for its conversion into the language suitable to drive the printer and for the files control). In the second zone is working an industrial 3D printer, directly connected to the PC. It does not print directly the prototype, but (in order to show in more detail a typical industrial flow) it creates the mould that later will be assembled on a traditional injection press that is in the third zone of the Demonstrative Area. Thanks to this press it is possible to get final items with standard materials of the injection technology, that can access directly the market or can be used as pre-series. These three zones are fully operating during the whole exhibition and therefore it is possible to see a 3D printer that creates the moulds, the injection moulding machine that creates items (gadgets for the visitors). And not only: modelling, 3D printing and injection moulding experts are at visitors’ disposal in order to answer every question linked to the additive manufacturing. There will be also speeches by moulders who have already used this technology that allows them to integrate their traditional activity with one more instrument.

In 2016 Senaf will organize, besides MECSPE, other two appointments dedicated to additive manufacturing and 3D printing, in order to connect the producers of machines for rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing, 3D printers, materials, scanners and 3D software with the professionals of the different industrial sectors that are interested in discovering the advantages of the additive technologies:

• Exposanità (BolognaFiere, 18^th – 21^st May 2016): an event that foresees a focus on additive manufacturing and 3D printing in the medical sector
• 3DPrint Hub and Additive Manufacturing Hub (Fieramilanocity, 7^th – 9^th June 2016): a cross-event dedicated to the whole world of the additive technologies and to the different target sectors, where these technologies can be applied

MECSPE’s tradeshows

Macchine & Utensili – machine tools, tools and equipment - Fabbrica Digitale – IT technologies for the management of a smart factory; Motek Italy – factory automation – Power Drive – systems, components, mechatronics; Logistica – systems for logistics management, machines and equipment. Control Italy – metrology and quality control - Subfornitura – manufacture on behalf of a third party: plastic materials machinings, mechanical machinings, tinplate machinings; Eurostampi and Plastics – mould and moulding;Additive Manufacturing - rapid prototyping and 3D printing.

The numbers of 2015 edition

33,673 visitors, 1,281 exhibitors, 31 Working Isles, 15 Theme Districts, 9 theme trade shows, 10 Excellence Squares, 103 conventions and mini-conferences organized by companies, universities and research institutes.

For any further information about the exhibition, please visit http://www.mecspe.com/