Smart Molding International 1-2021

3D printing 32 smart_molding international 1/2021 G erdau and Braskemhave signed a partnership with the Techno - logical Institute of Aeronautics (ITA) and Alkimat Tecnologia to develop innovative solutions for the electromo - bility segment using additive manufac - turing, a technology popularly called 3D printing. The project will target components for vehicle transmission systems, with the potential to leverage the expansion of the country's electric vehicle industry. The collaboration of organizations from distinct sectors will give the proj - ect a pioneering and complementary vision to strengthen Brazil's additive manufacturing chain. Gerdau will con - tribute with its knowledge in metallic materials, Braskemwith its experience and knowledge in polymers, ITA will coordinate the project given its com - petency in manufacturing research, and Alkimat will collaborate with its expertise in 3D printing. "Mobility is a leading trend in trans - formation, and solutions in the sector can make a significant contribution to resolving the challenges facing our society. At Gerdau, we believe in building networks, in open innovation and in encouraging partnerships with academia and institutions that strategi - cally complement the effort to find dis - ruptive solutions for the value chain," said Juliano Prado, vice-president at Gerdau and head of Gerdau Next. Professor Ronnie Rego from ITA ex - plains that the advent of electric mo - bility has shaken the order of stake - holders in automotive propulsion, and the existing gap results in the demand for disruptive solutions, rather than incremental paths. "If we Brazilians want to escape for good the stigma of technologi - cal colony, there is only one path: cooperation between academia and industry. With this alli - ance, we join forces to deliver to the market and to societymobility solutions that the future will demand," he said. For Braskem, innovation and sustain - ability walk side by side, contributing to the building of a better future. "We are carefully monitoring various sec - tors whose environmental impacts can be improved and, without a doubt, electromobility brings considerable gains, especially for reducing carbon emissions. Our expertise in polymers will make a robust contribution to de - veloping solutions that leverage this sector through additive manufactur - ing, helping to improve people's lives," said Fabio Lamon, global manager of Innovation & Technology for Additive Manufacturing at Braskem. "The changes arising from the post- covid recovery will mark the "new nor - mal," in which strengthening the local economy, with lower external depen - dence, will be of crucial importance. Ini - tiatives like this, drivenby companies that are references in their industries, must be adoptedby everyone and encouraged by governments," said JoseMascheroni, executive officer at Alkimat. The potential of 3D printing Additive manufacturing is a com - puter-controlled process that enables, based on a digital template, the cre - ation of three-dimensional objects by adding successive layers of material. That explains the popularity of the term 3D printing, which, despite the huge po - tential of being used in industry 4.0, is very simple, and can be used either by large companies in disruptive projects, such as this case in electromobility, or by ordinary people in their homes. In Brazil, this market enjoys positive growth prospects, especially due to the strong appeal of transformational innovation, which drives the develop - ment of innovative solutions, while also considering sustainability aspects given that it is a completely decentral - ized manufacturing process, which minimizes losses and the disposal of materials, not to mention the impacts on logistics. The main advantages of this technol - ogy include the integration of function - alities, shorter lead times, the possibil - ity of reducing weight and the freedom of design that enables the manufactur - ing of complex geometric objects. In this context, additive manufacturing is a major ally in the development of solutions that meet the demands of the mobility market that arise due to issues involving electric, shared and autonomous mobility. Braskem www.braskem.com.br Focusing on vehicle transmission components, the partnership involves the use of 3D printing. Braskem entered partnership to develop electromobility solutions Picture: Braskem