Elgin, IL --- Stereolithography innovation leader DSM Somos welcomed visitors to EuroMold 2010 with a show-stopping display of prototypes created from Somos® materials by leading European Service Bureaus, as well as a closer look at their latest product introduction, Somos® NeXt.
"This year's exhibit is a great demonstration of stereolithography's (SL) potential," says DSM Somos Business Director Michelle Brand. "Some of the more recent market-driven collaborative projects in which Somos has taken a leading role are: SL materials that behave more like thermoplastics, plated-parts which mimic sheet-metal parts, lightweight structures designed to reduce part-weight by up to 60%, and pre-production molds to allow faster prototyping and shorten time to market."
DSM Somos' innovation record is the result of an extensive collaborative network that includes not only teams of specialists within DSM, but also global universities, designers, and Additive Fabrication specialists capable of delivering high-end solutions.
"We listen and we connect," says Brand. "We're committed to expanding the capabilities of SL technology beyond what is possible today-and EuroMold is a great show to illustrate this."
Exhibited Parts Created from Somos® Materials
- Phrasikleia from Alphaform AG
The 2m high statue of the ancient Greek Goddess Phrasikleia
built by Alphaform AG uses a combination of Somos TetraShell™
software and Somos ProtoCast™ 19122. The statue weighs
approximately 8.7 KGS. When compared to builds using alternative
software this represents a weight saving of approximately 19 KGS
or 70%. Phrasikleia is a creative interpretation of how lightweight
structures are being put to good use in high-end technical applications.
Alphaform AG uses a combination of these technologies to deliver
light-weight parts, as well as investment casting patterns to
motor-sport, aerospace and medical companies across the globe.
- Audi Ar m Rests from Alphaform AG
Alphaform AG uses a combination of Somos NanoTool™
and galvanic metal coating technologies to produce
advanced prototypes, pre-series and direct manufactured
parts with performance characteristics comparable to
sheet-metal.
- B-Pillar from Materialise
Materialise uses DSM Somos materials in combination with
the patented Mammoth stereolithography machines and unique
metal coating process to produce extra-dimensional, full scale
metal-like components used in both prototyping and Direct
Manufacturing applications
- Anémius from In&d
The Paris-based luxury design house uses DSM Somos
materials and advanced technologies to produce a range
of unique "objets d'art" for prestigious clients. Anémius,
by young designer Sophie Argiolas, gives a flight of fantasy
to the Somos leading brand WaterShed® XC 11122.
- Tulip.MGX from Materialise
The Tulip.MGX takes its shape from intriguing organic forms-
forms that are so far unknown and yet seem so familiar. Rather
than centering on a translation from our visible world, this light
object is a translation of the strange attractors and mathematical
formulas used in chaos theory. Designer: Peter Jansen was
born in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, in 1956. The son of an inventor,
he developed a unique way of looking at the world.
A Closer Look at Somos® NeXt
Somos® NeXt SL materials create parts that look and feel so much like thermoplastic - including attributes of classic stress whitening - it may be difficult to tell the difference. Although Somos® NeXt parts look and feel like thermoplastic, they eliminate the long-lead times associated with other types of prototyping, delivering incredible speed of stereolithography. The unique combination of mechanical
properties is what makes Somos® NeXt dramatically different than all previous SL resin options.
Somos® NeXt parts are ideal for use in many functional testing applications, as well as for low-volume direct SL manufacturing where exceptional toughness is required. It is also highly compatible for producing functional end-use performance prototypes including snap-fit designs, impellers, duck work, connectors, electronic covers, automotive housings, dashboard assemblies, packaging and sporting goods.
