80% saved on new fixation equipment in collaboration with Millpart, Nexttech and DAMRC

Result
In this innovation project, several partners assisted companies in integrating 3D printing as a new technology within their business models and product portfolios. This included introducing new methods and providing guidelines for 3D printing fixtures, which can now be produced 80 percent cheaper and much faster compared to manual fixture production.

Challenge
Companies and subcontractors in the wind industry use fixation equipment—known as fixtures—for the production of various hydraulics-related components. Traditionally, this equipment has been manufactured manually, but 3D printing offers a cheaper and faster way to produce fixtures, especially when creating a custom-designed prototype. Without 3D printing, a subcontractor must mill new fixtures from a block, which is expensive as it requires taking a milling machine out of production to complete the task. With 3D printing, a new fixture can be produced overnight and ready for use the next morning.

Solution
In Denmark, research and development in 3D printing for the wind industry has primarily focused on producing large components, such as those for blade manufacturers. The 3D Printed Fixtures innovation project has shifted this focus by helping participating SMEs establish a foothold in the commercial use of 3D printing.