Hager Group reduces production tooling costs with Stratasys AM
German-based company, Hager Group, has turned to advanced manufacturing solutions from Stratasys to produce complex, functional, and lightweight parts efficiently.
Specializing in home automation and energy management systems, the company’s production site in Saverne is continuously looking to improve in terms of responsiveness, production time and cost, and also remain innovative.
When a tool had to be replaced or manufactured on the production floor, the team was not allowed time to be reactive because of the long outsourcing process. Apart from a possible risk of a halt in production while waiting, there was also the risk of added cost and productivity standstill.
Hager decided to turn to the industrial-level Fortus 380mc 3D Printer for their requirements, which enabled them to work with production-grade thermoplastics. With the in-house printer, intricate parts could be produced reliably throughout the tooling process, without the time-consuming and costly processes normally associated with traditional manufacturing.
“The 3D printed parts have led to a significant cost reduction compared to machining the part out of aluminum, as well as a 50 percent reduction in overall weight. We estimate that we have seen an ROI within 18 months,” said Alexandre Callegher, Mechanical Engineer at Hager Group.
Traditionally, tools would be manufactured in aluminum. However, they were:
- Expensive
- Time-consuming which took 2 weeks
- Little room for design flexibility
But with the 380mc, the team was able to:
- Less costly and quicker production
- Produce customized, low-volume tools within 24 hours
- 3D print advanced honeycomb structures to light-weighting tool
Having seen the benefits of using Stratasys technology, Hager Group is looking to expand beyond just applying it to production tooling. “Over the next couple of years, we intend to print 120 thumb-sized caps with an electronic device integrated with resin to hold in place. Stratasys 3D printing has opened our eyes to the ways in which we can fully develop what we do here in Saverne,” said Callegher.
Learn more about our Fortus Series FDM 3D Printers and FDM technology. You can also contact us via our contact form, email us at info@creatz3d.com, or call +65 6631 8555 for any further inquiries.
