New revolutionary machine from CMS combines large-format 3D printing with a machining center

Kreator is a new two-in-one system from CMS that combines the functions of a large-format 3D printer and a machining center for high-speed production of 3D-printed parts using various types of granules, which are also used in traditional injection molding processes, followed by post-processing via milling.

Kreator is well-suited for applications such as the manufacture of high-precision prototypes and the production of tools, fixtures, etc.

The machine is available in various configurations and sizes and is capable of processing a wide range of plastic-based materials, including ABS, PA, and high-tech polymers reinforced with carbon fiber or glass fiber—the proportion of the latter can be as high as 40%.

CMS Kreator uses granules instead of filament as the material for 3D printing, which means that the materials are more readily available and much cheaper than plastic in filament form.

CMS began exploring a hybrid 3D large-format printer and milling solution as early as 2017, in collaboration with the German Fraunhofer Institute, and quickly realized how useful this solution could be in the production of tools, fixtures, and molds, among other items, for composites, significantly reducing both production time and material costs.

From the very beginning, our strategy was to share our commitment to finding new technologies with our customers and encourage them to challenge Kreator with actual parts that needed to be redesigned, 3D-printed, and then milled. All of this, of course, under a mutual non-disclosure agreement that protected both the customer and CMS so that we could freely exchange information regarding the product.

After the first initial conversations with customers interested in Kreator, we realized that customers view Kreator as an extension of the functionality of standard FDM printers. We therefore believe that the potential market for large-format 3D printing is significantly larger.

Maurizio Bernini, Product Manager at CMS

How does CMS Kreator work?

The additive manufacturing technology used is known as Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (SEAM). The materials used are thermoplastic pellets reinforced with carbon or glass fibers. A pellet feeding system with a drying unit—fully integrated into the machine—feeds the material to the extruder. Extrusion is performed by a single-screw extruder that melts the granules.

The extruder is moved by the machining center's axes. The molten granulate leaving the extruder is deposited in layers, forming the workpiece as the layers build up.

The extruder screw is driven by the machining center’s own electric spindle. CMS has developed a type of “automatic tool changer” for Kreator that automatically disengages the mechanical tool, connects the extruder, and vice versa. This system is patent-pending.

The current version has a relatively small build volume of 2,000 x 1,800 x 800 mm. However, CMS is already working on further developing Kreator so that it can print even larger objects.

From 26 hours to five hours, with significantly lower raw material consumption

One example of reduced machining time comes from one of CMS’s customer case studies. A fixture made of aluminum took 8 hours to machine on a CNC machine and weighed 114 kg after machining was complete. The exact same fixture was 3D printed in 3½ hours on the Kreator and required 2 hours of post-processing on the same machine.  It normally took 26 hours of 3D printing to manufacture the two components using the old method, whereas with Kreator it took only two hours of 3D printing and three hours of milling.

At the same time, it has been shown that Kreator uses up to five times less raw material than its competitors to produce the same part.

- "Kreator leverages the benefits of the latest version of CMS Ares, including all the features designed for Industry 4.0, and I am confident that our customers will appreciate the flexibility offered by the automatic transition from a CNC machining center to a large-format 3D printer," says Henrik Thomsen, Product Manager CNC at Gibotech, which distributes CMS Kreator in Denmark.