Continental is recognized for manufacturing automotive parts ranging from interiors, brake systems, and conceivably most famously – tyres. The current center, led by Continental Engineering Services, will allow, the high-precision and cost-effective production of limited quantities of components for internal and external customers.
Continental plant manager in Karben, Torsten Rauch stated that 3D printing is growing more and more famous thanks to its numerous advantages. This is remunerated by the ever-increasing requirement for additively manufactured components. With their competence center in Karben, Continental will now be able to examine technologies, strengthen processes and methods, and roll out their production worldwide.
The center has passage to various additive manufacturing technologies inclusive of Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Selective Laser Melting for metal, for plastics such as PA, PP or polystyrene; Digital Light Printing (DLP), Stereolithography (SLA); and Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). Advanced manufacturing technology is in practice at Continental to make components including fluid reservoirs, calipers, and water pumps. The company states that the technology is now similar to traditional manufacturing methods when it appears to strength and appearance. The new center of subsistence will bring the full process chain contemporaneously, incorporating design to production. Experiment, validation, and altering of 3D printed components will all be probable under the same roof at the innovative center.
The Head of Business Segment Additive Design and Manufacturing inside the Product Solutions department at Continental Engineering Services, Stefan Kammann stated that they are making 3D scans of the components, correcting them followed by printing them with the sought material. For example, Continental is able to manufacture a high-quality metal part in place of a plastic component. Furthermore, design modifications can be handled in an open-ended way, depending on the product. The method lowers production costs with abbreviated production times.
