MVP Updates Large-Scale Thermoset Composite AM System

Magnum Venus Products (MVP), a global manufacturer of fluid movement and production solutions for industrial applications, is launching a new model of its Reactive Additive Manufacturing (RAM) system to enable cost-effective fabrication of thermoset materials at medium- and large-scale. The RAM 48 has a print area of 4 ft. × 8 ft.  with modular, expandable 4 ft. × 4 ft. sections to enable custom build dimensions.

Since the launch of its RAM system in 2019, MVP has discovered new applications for the technology and designed RAM 48 to complement its original RAM 816 model to take full advantage of these breakthroughs. The company says that thermosets (or plastics which cannot be remelted) have long been used in injection and compression molding, but the industry is just beginning to harness the potential of 3D printing with thermosets.

Thermosets contain polymers which chemically react in the curing process, crosslinking between printed layers to form a powerful bond, and resulting in stronger, more heat-tolerant products, the company says. These inherent properties of thermoset materials enable printing with open layer times, which creates the ability to pick-and-place items into the print — such as heating channels or sensors to monitor part specifications.

Another benefit is the ability print multiple parts simultaneously and to print through a previous path, thereby enabling more complex designs. Thermosets also enable secondary bonding of materials, making it easier and faster to achieve a class-A surface finish, join two parts or quickly repair a damaged mold.

Developed in collaboration with scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the RAM system was the first to successfully produce large-scale prints of thermoset materials. Also, Polynt-Reichhold designed a specialty print media to use in the RAM system, PRD-1520.