APF process
Unique material diversity
A key feature of ARBURG Plastic Freeforming (APF) is that the same qualified standard granulates as used for injection moulding can be used. This means you can efficiently produce individual parts and small batches from original materials, but also individualise mass-produced items.
The freeformer system is equipped with a material preparation unit featuring a special plasticising screw. Plasticising is followed by freeforming without the use of a mould: a high frequency nozzle closure discharges tiny plastic droplets, which are applied very precisely by means of a moving part carrier. This enables your three-dimensional plastic parts to be built up layer-by-layer. This is even possible with multiple-component parts
subscribe to newsletter
Highlights
- Versatile: use of inexpensive qualified standard granulates instead of expensive special materials
- Unique: producing three-dimensional functional components from tiny plastic droplets without a mould
- Industrial: functional parts from original materials
- Combinable: processing multiple components, e.g. in the movable hard/soft combination
- Flexible: special support materials for unusual or complex 3D geometries
Downloads
Brochure: freeformer (PDF - 3,1 MB)
Brochure: freeformer All-in Package (PDF - 1,2 MB)
freeformer Application Note: living hinges (PDF - 0,2 MB)
Article magazine Kunststoffe - "Droplets to the Beat of Milliseconds" (PDF - 0,5 MB)
Customer magazine today 74, p. 15-17, "tesa: freeformer for novel bonding applications" (PDF - 3,6 MB)
Customer magazine today 73, p. 20-21, "Direct Manufacturing Research Center: Intensive research activities with two freeformers" (PDF - 4,2 MB)
Customer magazine today 70, p. 18-19, "Samaplast: Additive manufacturing as a supplementary technology for prototypes and small batches" (PDF - 4,3 MB)
Customer magazine today 70, p. 17, "AM Factory: Turnkey system with IT-networked freeformer" (PDF - 4,3 MB)
Customer magazine today 69, p. 4-5, "Teufel prototypes: freeformer expands portfolio to include additively manufactured original parts" (PDF - 4,9 MB)
Expert article magazine Kunststoffe "Layered Functional Parts on an Industrial Scale" (PDF - 0,4 MB)
Technology

freeformer system
Our freeformer is designed as an open system. All the process parameters are freely programmable – from the settings for the geometrical slicing through to the discharge of the droplets. This allows you to optimise parts individually and to process your own materials.
to the freeformer