German manufacturing firm RPM has developed a 3D-printed padding system for explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) helmets that replaces conventional foam supplies with a lattice construction. The additively manufactured padding makes use of customizable lattice geometry to adapt mechanical properties like stiffness and damping habits for various areas of the pinnacle. This design strategy goals to enhance protecting efficiency whereas decreasing weight and enhancing air flow in comparison with typical foam padding.


The corporate manages each improvement and manufacturing of the padding parts, that are produced on industrial 3D printing programs from Farsoon. These programs present the method stability and repeatability required for safety-critical functions. RPM’s buyer handles advertising of the whole helmet and padding protecting system.
To make sure high quality requirements for the safety-critical parts, RPM makes use of software program options from amsight for steady knowledge acquisition and evaluation all through the manufacturing course of. The information-driven strategy permits the corporate to establish deviations from goal values early and intervene earlier than defects happen. This technique gives documentation and traceability necessities important for security functions.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA offered scientific help for validating manufacturing high quality via knowledge evaluation processes. The institute helped rpm implement the amsight software program utilizing course of and machine knowledge from the Farsoon programs, specializing in figuring out related course of variables and defining high quality metrics.
“As the event and manufacturing associate of our buyer, our focus was on making a padding system that may be produced reproducibly and reliably meets the required high quality traits,” says Dr. Jörg Gerken, Technical Managing Director at RPM. “The mix of additive manufacturing and knowledge‑pushed high quality assurance performs a central position on this.”
Supply: eurekamagazine.co.uk
