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EVENTS International User Meeting (IUM) 2006 EOS at the Hanover Fair e-MANUFACTURING AT ITS BEST Switch with style: DMLS for new VW concept car „Kick it like...Chapman“: The first pair of individualized football boots 20 stages firmly under the saddle! EOS supports cyclists at the Tour de France Dental industry focuses on e-Manufacturing EOS COMPANY NEWS EOS receives TOP 100 award for innovative power EOS among the “Bavaria’s Best 50“ Initiative e-Manufacturing Partners Peter Klink third managing director EOS WORLD-WIDE
VW makes intelligent use of DMLS for its new concept car GX. See page 2.
International User Meeting (IUM) 2006
“Convincingly attractive products” with e-Manufacturing
From May 17th to May 19th, EOS held its ninth annual International User Meeting. More than 120 participants from over 22 countries met at the event. They exchanged experiences on laser-sintering technology and informed themselves about current market trends, new applications and latest product developments. The tour through the EOS headquarters in Krailling near Munich on the first day was followed by two varied conference days. At this years’ event, EOS introduced a new info-shop concept. The concept offered several parallel speeches as well as more room for discussion in smaller, specialised groups. Everybody could take the pick of the bunch and choose which session to The technology-driven info-shops informed on current material developments such as cobalt-chrome, titanium and stainless steel, but also on the new flame-retardant and carbon fibrefilled polyamide materials. One of the highlights was without doubt the announcement of a new system for plastic laser-sintering, the EOSINT P 730. This machine promises up to 35 percent increased productivity compared to the present benchmark for productivity, the EOSINT P 700. The system will celebrate its world premiere at the EuroMold 2006 in Frankfurt. attend: the conference put forward discussions and presentations on bionics, design advantages of layer manufacturing technologies, applications in the medical industry, in aerospace and for special-purpose equipment, but also new solutions in the field of Mass Customization for consumer goods, for example football boots. The discussions evolved around the question how companies can offer their customers convincingly attractive products.
Switch with style: DMLS for new VW concept car
An automotive manufacturer increases its product value with laser-sintering
The Los Angeles Auto Show was the venue for the world premiere of Volkswagen’s latest concept vehicle, the GX3. The unconventional vehicle with two-seats and threewheels promises a unique driving experience. Typifying the stylish design goals is the laser-sintered stainless steel gear lever knob that Volkswagen calls its “center jewel.” The eye catcher at the show was a hollow, lightweight knob in stainless steel that retained the design form of the GTI gear lever knob. Derek Jenkins, Volkswagen North America’s chief designer, cites the gear lever knob as an example of the technology freeing the design team’s creativity. “Without this technology, our designs were constrained, even limited, by what traditional manufacturing technologies could produce,” stated Jenkins. Also for future concepts and ideas, the automotive manufacturer will rely on DMLS. Jenkins confirms: “Without question, we will be using EOS technology on our future projects.”
EOS EVENTS
EOS at the Hanover Fair
Functional integration gains more and more importance
EOS presented itself from April 24th to 28th 2006 at the world’s largest industrial fair. At its stand, the company demonstrated the advantages and potentials that laser-sintering offers in the field of factory automation. Highlight at the booth was a robot application that went a step beyond the standard application field of robots, the so-called “Pick and Place” functions: A laser-sintered stacking elevator took pencils out of a storage reservoir and separated them from each other. The pencils were then handed over to a lasersintered robot hand. During transportation, linear technology ensured that each pencil was positioned and printed. With the laser-sintered application, functions such as removal, positioning, control, processing and depositing became possible. The application was realized with the company LMD. By functional integration, the company fast and flexibly introduced an improved and more competitive product.
e-MANUFACTURING AT ITS BEST
„Kick it like...Chapman“: The first pair of individualized football boots
Improved product provides higher comfort and performance in professional sports
In the process, an athlete’s foot shape is scanned in order to analyse the gait characteristics. The resulting data of each individual athlete is transformed by CAD into a bespoke outsole design. The outsole is then produced using plastic laser-sintering technology from EOS, thus forming the basis of the athPrior 2 Lever (P2L) has launched the first individualized pair of football boots on the market. The shoes aim at increased comfort, reduced injury as well as improved performance. Technical highlight of the product are the laser-sintered outsoles of the shoes. They have been developed in a special way: They support the musculoskeletal system of the player and reduce top level compressive stresses. lete’s footwear. The combination of this data together with a laser cut pattern allow the upper to be tailored on individually crafted lasts. Finally the upper is attached to the outsole. The name of the first P2L football boot is “Assassin”. “The most comfortable pair of shoes that I have ever worn”, says English national player Katie Chapman, who has tested the boots for the first time.
EOS COMPANY NEWS
EOS receives TOP 100 award for innovative power
EOS has been awarded the TOP 100 seal of approval for its outstanding achievements in innovation for the second time. The study evaluates the innovative success on the market. At the same time, it assesses four areas of innovation management: innovative processes and organisation, the innovation climate, the way a company markets its innovative products and how innovation-friendly its senior management is. EOS convinced the jury in all categories and earned itself a place among the TOP 100. The expert for e-Manufacturing is now entitled to display the seal of approval “Top 100 2006”.
EOS among the “Bavaria‘s Best 50“
EOS received the award “Bavaria’s Best 50“. The award honours the 50 companies in the state of Bavaria, Germany, with the highest growth rate. EOS increased its sales and number of employees above average in the years from 2001 until 2005. The specialist for laser-sintering technology thus received the accolade “Bavaria’s Best 50“. The sales growth of EOS as well as the job creation emerged due to internal growth, and not purely from mergers and acquisitions. This was a crucial factor for granting the award. Together with the 49 other laureates, the company confirms the competitiveness of the Bavarian economy.
20 stages firmly under the saddle! EOS supports cyclists at the Tour de France
Speed not only counts in the race, but also in the preparation phase
Biological data from the Tour de France, the Germany tour and the world championship: More and more often, live data from selected cyclists are shown on TV. The company SRM enables this service. The technology for Sebastian Lang, cyclist of the team Gerolsteiner, is located in a housing behind the saddle on which the starting number is attached. The housing was lasersintered in PrimePart followed by vibratory grinding. It contains the mobile telephone service chips and batteries required for service. At minimum weight it offers perfect aerodynamics which can be adjusted to different saddle stems. Project partner for the largest cycle race of the world was the company FKM. The service provider delivered 80 parts within one week – just in time before the start of the Tour. Such fast turn-around times become possible by successful e-Manufacturing.
Initiative e-Manufacturing Partners
Last year already, EOS initiated the programme „e-Manufacturing Partner“. With this initiative, EOS is aiming at increasing the acceptance of laser-sintering as a manufacturing method for end products. After an initial identification, projects will be implemented and leveraged in numerous industries. Meanwhile, EOS has identified four e-Manufacturing partners. With ten installed EOSINT systems, FKM is the largest European service provider for plastic laser-sintering from EOS. Thus, the company has the required capacity to execute production orders on short notice. The innovative software solutions from Materialise make laser-sintering a suitable method for series production. As third partner, the University of Wolverhampton uses laser-sintering for creating products with increased competitiveness. The trio is replenished by the US-based service provider Morris Technologies. The largest user of the EOS metal technology develops and manufactures aerospace products amongst other things.
Peter Klink becomes third managing director at EOS
EOS appoints Peter Klink as third managing director at EOS. In his new function as Executive Vice President (EVP), Klink manages the entire Customer Relationship Management, including Sales, Marketing and Service world-wide. He thus complements Dr. Hans Langer, company founder and CEO, and Johann Oberhofer, COO. Klink joined EOS in 1996. Previously to becoming EVP he was Vice President Sales.
Dental industry focuses on e-Manufacturing
Fast and cost-effective production of crowns and bridge frameworks
Sirona Dental Systems, the international leading provider of equipment and services for the dental industry, expands its product range for dental prostheses using DMLS from EOS. With help of the technology, Sirona’s production service infiniDent now manufactures customized crowns and bridge frameworks in a bio-compatible cobalt-chrome alloy. The EOS material was developed especially for this application in close collaboration with Sirona. The new service allows the production of several hundred restorations per day. Using laser-sintering technology makes the laboratory significantly more efficient: Usually a dental technician processes about ten crowns per working day. With the technology Sirona speeds up the process considerably: Several hundred frameSirona sees significant advantages of the technology: “The manual activities in the field of casting of frameworks become more efficient with the use of CAD. The industrial production of frameworks is not only more cost-effective, but also provides a consistent high quality“, explains Dr. Günter Saliger, project manager infiniDent at Sirona. works can be built within one day only. The turn around times for orders are three working days only from order acknowledgement until delivery of the frameworks to the laboratory.
First European service provider for applications in stainless steel
Svensson & Holm is the first European service provider that offers stainless steel applications with Direct Metal Laser-Sintering (DMLS). The Swedish company uses the EOS technology since 2004. As a new material, Svensson & Holm offers products and tools in stainless steel since August 2006. The material is suitable for applications in engineering and medical technology which require high corrosion resistance, sterilisability and ductility.
Flame-retardant laser-sinter material PA 2210 FR
The new flame-retardant material from EOS, PA 2210 FR, celebrates another success in France. The Centre d’Essais Aéronautique in Toulouse (CEAT), which belongs to the ministry of defence, has successfully tested the material according to requirements CS25/JAR25/FAR25 25.853 appendix F part 1 according to ABD 0031. Meeting these guidelines is a prerequisite for using the new laser-sintering material in civil aviation. Different airplane manufacturers have also already approved PA 2210 FR, for example Boeing, Dassault and Embraer. Potential applications are single-wall and double-wall air ducts, fixtures, housings, container protection edges, devices and cable ducts.
EOS WORLD-WIDE
Asia
Nokia in China ordered a P 385. NTT Data Engineering Systems (NDES), EOS distributor in Japan, placed an order for two P 700. One system will be used in the Technical Center, the other one will build prototypes for car air conditioning systems. The Hoseo University in Korea has purchased an M 270. Kwan Yang/Kymco in Taiwan adds a P 700 to its product development centre and now has two plastic machines.
Russia
In a joint project, the companies Mettem and Energia decided to purchase an M 270 and a P 700. The company Mettem manufactures optical devices such as binoculars. Energia is active in the aerospace industry.
Slovenia
The technology centre RTCZ in Slovenia ordered a P 385.
Belgium
Materialise, strategic EOS partner for software solutions, installed its second P 700.
South Africa
The Central University of Technology, Free State in South Africa has ordered its fourth machine, an M 270. The company will use the system for implants in titanium.
Germany
Sirona produces dental restorations in cobalt-chrome on an M 270. Toyota has acquired a P 700 and thus increases the use of e-Manufacturing in Formula 1. FKM decided to purchase a P 385 and a P 700. With a total of ten EOSINT systems, FKM is European’s largest service provider of the EOS plastic lasersintering technology. The automotive supplier Auto Kabel in Hausen uses plastic laser-sintering for the production of assembly equipment. The company FIT ordered an M 270. Their fifth EOSINT system will manufacture components in stainless steel and cobalt-chrome.
Switzerland
The vacuum pump manufacturer Composites Busch now owns a P 385. Composites Busch requires the machine for applications in the medical industry among others.
Turkey
The domestic appliance manufacturer BSH (“Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte“) in Turkey has bought a plastic lasersintering system. Applications are components for refrigerators, dishwashers, etc.
Italy
The companies Inglass/HRS Flow and 3D Fast each invested into an M 270. HRS will produce mechanical components for moulds. 3D Fast mainly focuses on dental applications.
USA
Xerox in New York secured itself a P 385. Xerox develops and markets ink jet and laser printers, copy machines and combisystems. Morris decided to purchase two M 270s and now has four machines. Forecast in Carlsbad, CA also ordered an M 270, just as the FBI in Washington, DC. The renowned service provider Solid Concepts in Valencia, CA ordered a P 700. The company does Rapid Manufacturing in the aerospace industry. Royal Plastics, Cincinnati, OH will use a P 385 for aerospace applications as well.
UK
WilliamsF1 has ordered two P 385. Williams will use the systems for producing prototypes for wind channel tests and patterns, but also for components in the new chassis FW 28. Land Rover purchased a P 700 and will use the system for R&D applications. The service provider 3T RPD decided to invest in their third P 700. With its fifth EOSINT P system the company increases its e-Manufacturing capacity. The London Metropolitan University (LMU) produces jewelry and art pieces on an M 270.
EOS GmbH, Electro Optical Systems Corporate Headquarters Robert-Stirling-Ring 1 D-82152 Krailling Tel.: +49 89 893 36-0 Fax: +49 89 893 36-285 E-mail: info@eos.info
Status: September 2006
Further EOS subsidiaries: EOS France, Lyon EOS India, Chennai EOS Italy, Milan EOS UK, Warwick EOS of North America, Novi, MI
Furthermore, EOS has distribution partners worldwide. For more information about our international sales organisation please visit our homepage www.eos.info