IBL Hydronic, based in Germany, provides customized electronic, hydraulic and software solutions for the construction, municipal, agricultural and forestry industries, as well as other specialized machinery and vehicles.
Equipped with a Fuse 1 SLS 3D printer, they are able to create functional prototypes in a very short period of time and produce complex hydraulic components for end use in their manufacturing.
In our interview, Tom Heindl, technical product designer for 3D printing at IBL Hydronic, discusses how SLS 3D printing is driving innovation in control solutions and how workflows can be optimized and accelerated as a result.
Developing automated control systems for machines and vehicles
IBL Hydronic develops and manufactures control systems for a wide range of industrial machinery, such as construction vehicles, agricultural and forestry machinery and municipal vehicles. In this niche, the company offers both the hardware for the control components as well as the corresponding custom software.
"We develop innovative hydraulic and electronic solutions. Our portfolio includes everything from simple control blocks to ready-to-connect devices that include advanced user interfaces," explains Heindl.
In order to respond quickly to individual customer requests, IBL mainly manufactures components in its production, in which 3D printing plays a key role.
"In our industry, it often makes sense to use 3D printing to manufacture products, because it's mostly small batches and components that have to be constantly adjusted."
Tom Heindl, Technical Product Designer for 3D Printing, IBL Hydronic
After past jobs showed that IBL had reached the structural and design limits of conventional manufacturing processes, they increasingly began to consider 3D printing solutions. Initially, these jobs were performed by external 3D printing services, but the demand was so great that the company invested in its first 3D printer in 2019.
"It has always been very important for us that optical features such as layer lines remain invisible, and also to maximize our design freedom. After initial quality issues with other 3D printing technologies, we decided on the Fuse 1 SLS 3D printer," says Heindl.
Heindl sees the lack of support structures as a major advantage of SLS 3D printing and nylon powder printing on the Fuse 1. This process has opened up many new opportunities for valuable projects that would otherwise not be possible in this form. Ease of use of the printer is also key for Heindl and his team, as this allows as many colleagues as possible to work with the printer, allowing them to optimize the development and production process.
"Having an SLS 3D printer means that we simply no longer have to use manufacturing methods such as CNC machining. This of course saves us a lot of time, money and space," says Heindl.
3D Printing of Custom Components for End Use in Small and Medium Series
A significant advantage of having a Fuse 1 printer in your production is flexibility, which allows Heindl and his team to take customer focus to a whole new level.
IBL rarely uses stock components when developing controls for manufacturers of agricultural machinery or municipal vehicles. Instead, they focus on the individual challenges and needs of each customer, developing specific solutions using their in-house SLS 3D printer.
This is a unique advantage in their niche market that sets them apart from competitors using subtractive methods or injection molding processes. Injection molding also brings high costs and complexity, which would not be profitable for the company given the low volumes in small batches.
"Manufacturers in this industry tend to build their vehicles and equipment in relatively small batches, which means that we produce a lot of things in batches of 100 to 250 parts. For us, investing in large fleets of in-house production machines that would only be used for occasional jobs and low volumes is completely out of the question," explains Heindl.
3D printing of the control module for agricultural machinery
A recent project IBL Hydronic worked on involved developing a control panel for an agricultural equipment manufacturer, which had to be tailored to a specific machine. The project was completed in record time. After only one month of development, the control module was ready and could be presented to the customer.
The case components were printed using SLS 3D printing, then assembled and fitted with a leather back pad. In order to create a design that was not only functional, but also visually appealing, the team added texture to the surface of the 3D model during the design process. The SLS 3D printed components were then starved and painted using a dye bath. The result is an assembly consisting of end-use components manufactured entirely with the help of SLS 3D printing, with a texture reminiscent of leather, which enhances the appearance and rounds off the overall design.
IBL's team uses both SLS and SLA 3D printing to take advantage of the full design and functionality freedom that additive manufacturing can offer.
For example, smaller parts like the white and orange buttons were produced on an SLA 3D printer, one of several 3D printing technologies that allow the printing of see-through and transparent components. In this control module, for example, functions could be integrated into the software to emit flashing signal warnings from the buttons in the event of a system error.
The speed and flexibility that additive manufacturing offers are key to the development processes of new control modules at IBL. Long lead times caused by collaboration with external service providers during the discussion and planning stages can be significantly shortened by using in-house 3D printing, allowing the company to deliver results to customers faster.
"With 3D printing, I can provide our customers with first prototypes in two to three weeks that are almost serial production quality," says Tom Heindl, technical product designer for 3D printing at IBL Hydronic.
In addition, design changes can be implemented much more easily and quickly than when using conventional manufacturing methods.
"With 3D printing, you can work quickly and completely in the opposite direction. The speed at which I can change a CAD file and print it without having to adapt tools or machines is unsurpassed compared to other manufacturing methods, like CNC machining," says Heindl.
Increased competitiveness through SLS 3D printing
Heindl and his team plan to build on the experience they have gained and expand their capabilities in terms of new materials, manufacturing capabilities and design capabilities in the future. Projects like this 3D printed control panel laid the foundation for new approaches and broadened the horizons for their future projects.