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Multidimensional Additive Metal Printer
Beneficiary’s Name: GRANTE Antenna Development and Manufacturing Private Limited Company
Subject and Objective of the Development: Multidimensional Additive Metal Printer
Contracted Grant Amount: HUF 326,178,372
Detailed Description of the Project:
Our project aims to create a metal 3D printer that offers a real alternative to the current metal printing methods available on the market by significantly speeding up the printing process and, thus, the productivity of the equipment. The key innovation of the product lies in the way the layers are built. The common characteristic of today’s metal 3D printing processes is that they create the geometry of the manufactured part in thin layers moving away from the build surface. In contrast, the essence of our development is that this layer construction is performed by the device at multiple points simultaneously, thereby significantly accelerating the process. According to our plans, the predominantly used powder format metal raw material in metal 3D printing will be replaced with a more easily processed, more recyclable raw material that allows for simpler machine construction, similar to the so-called wire melting procedures.
With the product to be created during the project, our goal is to reach a level of readiness where we can receive real market orders for the developed equipment, and with the in-house machine park of the developed equipment, our company will be able to provide metal 3D printing services. The background for the project is the research and development and 3D printer design work that Grante Zrt. has been carrying out since 2016. During this period, a 3D printer processing a so-called photopolymer resin raw material was successfully developed, enabling an order of magnitude improvement in production speed compared to the technologies available on the market. Sustainability is ensured by the fact that the market sale of the product generates sufficient revenue in the long term to cover all costs associated with continuous development and manufacturing. Efficient metal additive manufacturing technologies are currently primarily used in the automotive industry, aerospace industry, oil and gas industry, technical competitive sports, medical devices, and the production of tools and machinery. The target group for a metal printer capable of double the printing speed compared to the currently available technologies can be identified as prominent global, European, and domestic players in these market segments. Key target groups include companies specializing in the production of tools and machinery, medical devices, and equipment used in technical sports. In these segments, larger parts are typically required, and these parts do not demand high printing resolution, making the laser wire melting bidirectional metal printing technology under development a perfect target market.
Planned Project Completion Date: January 31, 2025
6.1. Increasing Metalworking Capacity Grant
Beneficiary’s Name: GRANTE Antenna Development and Manufacturing Private Limited Company
Project Title: Increasing Metalworking Capacity at GRANTE ZRT
Contracted Grant Amount: HUF 65,730,000 (repayable grant)
Grant Rate (%): 70%
Project Description:
In addition to our telecommunications products, we have started to undertake more contract work. Manufacturing at our company site is carried out in several halls, isolated from each other. Within the project framework, we intend to expand one of our existing 1200 m² halls, which is in good condition and has an economical heating system. We plan to place our CNC milling and machining equipment in the new hall section, as well as the cutting machines needed to supply them. At the end of the hall, adjacent to the new section to be expanded, the welding robot to be procured through this grant will be placed.
In recent years, we have received more and more requests for welding large quantities of uniform products (e.g., supports and frame structures for solar parks). With our current „manual” welding technologies, the production of these parts is extremely time-consuming and not cost-effective. Automating and robotizing the welding process would open up a new segment of the industry, as welds made by the robotic arm are of consistent quality and eliminate human errors in the welds. Additionally, robotic welding frees workers from the physiological effects of welding (arc light, high temperatures, high current, noise), regardless of protective clothing and equipment. Moreover, the robot can perform the welding process 24 hours a day, whereas a certified welder can only spend a fraction of this time welding in a single shift. Naturally, this does not mean that welding personnel will not be needed alongside the robot, but the production of identical, large-quantity workpieces will not have to be monotonously performed by a welding specialist, allowing them to focus on unique tasks that require high expertise. Furthermore, skilled labor will be required to program the welding robot, and trained workers will be needed to change pallets and parts, thus potentially creating several jobs with the project’s implementation. The welding robot would also complement our existing machinery very well, and with its help, we could collaborate with surrounding companies to undertake complex jobs that also require welding.
As a result of the project, we expect to meet the increasingly frequent new supplier orders and inquiries as efficiently as possible, which would help our company retain human resources without any issues.
Planned Project Completion Date: June 2, 2021
Project Identification Number: GINOP-1.2.8-20-2020-00879
6.2. K+F+I Development Related to 3D Printer Development
Beneficiary’s Name: GRANTE Antenna Development and Manufacturing Private Limited Company
Project Title: GRANTE ZRt. R&D&I Development Related to 3D Printer Development
Project Identification Number: GINOP-2.1.2-8-1-4-16-2017-00345
Contracted Grant Amount: HUF 76,650,169
Grant Rate: 45%
Project Completion Date: April 28, 2021
Brief Description of the Project:
3D printing is undeniably one of the most promising development areas of our time. Since the technology emerged roughly 30 years ago, continuous innovation has led to its increasingly widespread daily use in recent years, and it has been tested in nearly every manufacturing field. In some cases, we already see attempts at industrial-level use (end-product manufacturing). However, two factors currently present the biggest obstacles to the explosive spread of 3D printing in the industry: the printing speed and the limitations of using printed materials as end products. Today, printed plastic products are mostly used „just” as prototypes, with actual usability for most products being severely limited.
Our goal is to address these two aspects during development, in cooperation with DO3D Innovations Kft., using the Voxel type printer they design, market, and partially manufacture at our facility as the base machine, to create a new 3D printer capable of industrial applications. This printer will be unique in both the speed of the workpiece polymerization and the possible material composition. By enriching with various fillers, we aim to create materials with mechanical properties capable of meeting requirements long-term, either incorporated into a product or as standalone products. Our stated goal is for the printer development and materials resulting from our R&D project to offer a reasonable alternative to injection-molded parts for small- and medium-series productions.
Enriching and strengthening photopolymers with various materials, and developing them for additive use, is a challenge that very few attempt globally due to its complexity.
Another objective is to explore, following successful development, how we can make the raw material printable by other existing printers on the market without significant modifications. As an external unit and/or head unit, this would make the product and materials accessible to a broader range of users.
Material Development:
- Development of photopolymer systems enriched with various fillers
- Examination of the additive processing of these materials
- Mechanical testing of validated materials
Machine Development:
- Creation of a closed polymerization chamber
- Examination of the spread of high-viscosity raw materials in the polymerization chamber
- Solution for homogenizing raw materials enriched with fillers
- Solution for introducing high-viscosity raw materials into the polymerization chamber with assistance
- Development of an increased cross-sectional build area
- Finalization of the machine’s external design and internal control
- Examination of the compatibility of the raw material handling unit with other existing machines on the market
6.3. Increasing Productivity in Extrusion 3D Printing
Beneficiary Name: GRANTE Antenna Development and Manufacturing Private Limited Company
Project Title: „Increasing Productivity in Extrusion 3D Printing”
Grant Amount: HUF 251,466,590
Grant Rate: 56.866493%
Project Description: Based on current global trends, it is inevitable that the industrial manufacturing culture will radically transform in the near future. The 20th-century technologies of mass production will be largely replaced by modern, customized products (massclusivity), significantly reducing the amount of plastic waste generated. The spread of thermoplastic materials in the 20th century gave rise to the mass production processes we know today, with injection molding being the most prevalent. This involves injecting plastic into a metal mold at high temperature and pressure to produce the final product. While productive under proper automation, this method has notable disadvantages:
- It requires a metal mold, which is time-consuming and costly to produce.
- There is no possibility for unique variations, as the product’s geometry is determined by the mold.
Thus, this method is not applicable in industrial product manufacturing, where quick and cost-effective product iterations are needed, nor in fields demanding high customization, such as healthcare. Partly in response to these challenges, the first 3D printing methods appeared in the 1980s, initially available only as industrial machines for a narrow market segment. 3D printing actually encompasses several additive manufacturing technologies (e.g., FDM, SLA, SLS, inkjet printing, binder jetting), which do not require molds, as the final product’s shape is built up layer by layer. These technologies have garnered significant attention from the beginning, especially with the advent of low-cost home and hobby 3D printers. Although the vision of ubiquitous household 3D printing has yet to materialize, the technology’s prevalence continues to grow in the industrial segment, which comprises 80-90% of the market. Small businesses also use it for prototyping needs. However, there are technological limitations that no manufacturer has yet effectively overcome, such as production speed.
For the dominant extrusion process (FDM) in 3D printing technologies, production speed has hardly increased in the past 30 years. For a typical palm-sized part, this means a layer-by-layer build time of 2-3 minutes or a total production time of 2-4 hours. For large, complex parts measuring 20x20x20 cm, production time can reach 36-48 hours. Our project aims to address this issue. We are developing and validating a 3D printer for marketability that drastically increases speed, at least doubling or even further enhancing the speed of current machines. We employ technological solutions unseen in the market today, protected by patents held by our company. Additionally, we aim to use available materials commonly used in FDM processes (e.g., easily processed PLA and PET, or technical ABS) in the new product to ensure industrial applicability of the produced final product.
We expect significant market potential for the new product, partly due to its market-creating potential. We anticipate achieving the production volumes of medium-sized FDM equipment manufacturers within five years of the product launch. We believe that effectively addressing these challenges will catalyze processes in the industry (replacing traditional manufacturing methods, increasing the prevalence and accessibility of 3D printing) that bring us closer to a world of personalized objects, machines, smart devices, and individual-specific medical treatments, where human diversity is reflected in our possessions.
Planned Project Completion Date: December 31, 2022
Project Identification Number: 2019-1.1.1-PIACI-KFI-2019-00093
BAR-1.1.1-22-2022-00011
The aim of the project is to provide support to GRANTE Antenna Developer and Manufacturer Ltd. to counteract the negative economic impacts suffered by the United Kingdom following its withdrawal from the European Union.
Beneficiary’s name: GRANTE Antenna Developer and Manufacturer Ltd.
Project title: Infrastructure Development at Grante Zrt.
Project identification number: BAR-1.1.1-22-2022-00011
Detailed description of the project:
To successfully implement and introduce ongoing and future innovations at GRANTE, and to facilitate international expansion, it is crucial to establish forward-looking infrastructure.
Through infrastructure development:
Full renovation of one of the largest buildings from the 1970s, covering 2960m2, complemented by a recently constructed 330m2 hall directly connected to it, providing space for all necessary production and specific objectives.
Provision of space for two impressive showrooms, showcasing 3D products, new types of dual-band 5G antenna systems, and existing telecommunications products.
Establishment of a globally significant 3D printing research and development laboratory to accelerate further innovations by the 3D development team, along with a professional pilot plant for 3D printers, accessories, and other developments.
IT developments within existing office spaces:
Creation of an ideal working environment for recruiting and retaining development engineers.
Establishment of a well-equipped training center for the continuous education of colleagues and training of our industrial partners and customers.
Procurement of a new CNC machining center and universal lathe:
- Acquisition of a new machine is essential due to the current workload and the heavy use of our existing machines. Traditional lathes are also utilized for numerous custom manufacturing and development iterations, and thus, acquiring a new universal lathe is imperative.
Installation of solar panels:
- The company considers it important to minimize its ecological footprint where possible. Therefore, we aim to utilize the opportunity provided by the grant to install a solar panel system. Additionally, we have assessed our energy consumption and find renewable energy sources to be an economically viable solution.
We are convinced that through these infrastructural developments, we can accelerate GRANTE’s expansion into international markets in both the strategic microwave antenna and 3D printing sectors.
Project completion date: 2024.05.31
Milestone completion status:
- Establishment of a solar power plant on the roof structure of the existing 2960m2 hall, consisting of 258 solar panels and 2 industrial inverters, has been completed.
- Procurement and commissioning of the MCV 1100 Quick vertical machining center have been completed.
- Procurement and commissioning of the SN 50 C / 1500 lathe have been completed.
- Structural renovation of the 1200m2 section within the 2960m2 building, including the replacement of copolymer glass with sandwich panels, replacement of openings, and installation of insulated gates, has been completed.
Milestone completion status:
- Hall renovation: 20% – this may be higher if you think it’s better
- Equipment procurement: 90%
- Purchase of IT equipment: 0% (to be completed in the next milestone)
Financial readiness level: 15%
