The 30th anniversary of the TECOS Slovenian Tool and Die Development Centre was marked by the opening of a fully automated pilot line for the production of plastic products with 3D-printed tools, the first of its kind in Slovenia.
The autonomously operating robotic cell, supported by artificial intelligence, significantly contributes to shorter production times, lower costs in the production of products. At the same time in enables increase of products quality. The robotic cell operates fully autonomously and automatically performs optical and dimensional control of the products themselves. The line can be quickly adapted to produce a wide variety of products, and 3D-printed tools ensure optimum production.
As Dr Aleš Hančič, Managing Director of TECOS, said at the inauguration, “the new fully automated pilot line for the production of plastic products with 3D-printed tools is primarily an opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that do not have their own research and development capacities”. Hančič sees the most important aspect of this new line as its accessibility. Slovenian industry is not only gaining access to research or technological equipment, but this access is enhanced with know-how of development engineers, researchers and, above all, their wealth of experience.
Instrument EISMEA I3
3DOP project is cofunded by EISMEA I3 instrument and supports inter-regional innovation projects in the commercialisation and scaling-up phase by providing tools to overcome barriers and develop the project to investment level.