The world's first 3D printed "multilayer" technology is used in the manufacture of carbon fiber composites

Developed by Fill, the world's first industrial-grade 3D printing "multi-layer" technology is used in the manufacture of carbon fiber composites , which form the core of the Swinburne test laboratory.

Swinburne University (Melbourne, Australia) is building the world's first Carbon Composites Manufacturing Industry 4.0 test laboratory as part of its groundbreaking research in digital manufacturing processes.

At the heart of the Swinburne Industry 4.0 test lab is the world's first industrial-grade 3D printed "multi-layer" carbon fiber composite manufacturing technology. The technology was developed by the world's leading Austrian engineering company Fill (Gurten, Austria).

This unique multi-layer printing technology developed by Fill will enable the production of carbon fiber commercial parts at a lower cost with minimal waste and increased productivity. The company's multi-layer machine design creates a single stack geometry in any direction. The short cycle time design allows for integration during injection molding or molding. This means that the part design is highly flexible and the machine's precise position system enables near net shape and minimum waste.

The multi-layer process represents a major change in digital technology, which will enable Swinburn to establish the first mature industrial 4.0 carbon fiber composite product testing laboratory in Australia.

Professor Aleksandar Subic, vice president of Swinburne University, said that next-generation materials such as carbon fiber composites are at the heart of Swinburne's Industry 4.0 test lab and future plants. Subic said, "The strategic partnership with Fill is particularly important to us because it enables us to introduce the unique 3D printing technology of composite products to the laboratory and automate the process."

Swinburne’s initiative to set up the Industry 4.0 test lab received a $135 million industrial digital grant from engineering giant Siemens in just a few months to digitize its plant and create Australia’s first fully immersive Industry 4.0 facility. .