8/14/09

E-Texturing is a revolution in digital manufacturing


Market Release: Since a few months we’re actively developing e-texturing features on DDM parts. Mainly we add texture (soft gripping, leather texturing, topographical features) on 3D solids and produce these in a Direct Digital way. Instead of having advanced post-processing treatments such as milling/EDM, we simply add it on the surface of the digital model (STL based). Tests have been made on thin walled parts, mould inserts and even on some medical implants. All of them being ready for market release as from now!

e-Texture is one of the latest software solutions of Materialise. The software enables to apply a 3D Texture on a 3D digital model. The uniqueness of e-Texture is that the texture will thus be applied during printing and not after printing, resulting in time and cost savings. Lieve Boeykens, Sales Manager at Materialise says: “In house we can experiment enough with printing plastics, however having no own metal machine, we have to rely on our good relations with Melotte.” Being both partner of the Belgium Solar Team (
http://www.solarteam.be/ ), a project was easily defined to print the first model in titanium with a leather texture immediately applied during printing. The pictures shows the first result coming from Melotte’s DDM set-up. The part is thin walled (0,8 mm) and freeform, cost savings are important and most of all, we respect extremely short delivery times and can easily confirm the accuracy by showing the optical comparison. Another good example of what DDM can bring to you!

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