The new PolyMorphic moulding technology is expected to shapeshift in under 20 minutes, providing zero tooling waste and making usable parts 14 times faster than 3D printing.
The technology, devised and engineered by Fyous' co-founders Joshua Shires and Thomas Bloomfield, is said to feature more than 28,000 pins that create the mould. Once the pins are in position, the mould is claimed to be able to withstand six tonnes of distributed pressure.
According to Fyous, PolyMorphic moulding has the potential to transform the manufacturing industry, reducing the waste generated through tooling amends, coupled with the faster production times compared to 3D printing and traditional mould-making. By inputting a 3D CAD model, Fyous software generates the PolyMorphic mould shape. The PolyMorphic machine then shapeshifts the mould to create the intended product. On completion of production, the PolyMorphic mould is returned to the machine, ready for the next shapeshift.
Shires said: "Using PolyMorphic moulding to rapidly create accurate moulds for tooling will reduce time to market for a huge array of products, plus unlock commercial viability for desirable products which currently have no cost-effective manufacture method.
"Our mission is to deliver this disruption whilst reducing environmental impact. PolyMorphic moulding is a zero-waste technology where raw materials are conserved and the moulds can be used again and again. We will remove not only physical waste in the form of materials and tooling, but also remove wasted time by accelerating product development, prototyping and manufacture efficiencies."
Bloomfield said: "The new technology can generate products up to 14 times faster than conventional 3D printing methods, with zero-waste. PolyMorphic moulding supports a wide array of materials and processes, including moulding and casting, vacuum forming, and composite lay-up.
"This versatility makes its possible applications almost limitless. Much like when 3D printing was developed, the applications it could potentially be used for was unknown by its inventors. The Fyous team is now undertaking this period of discovery with PolyMorphic moulding, uncovering potential applications for this technology at an exponential rate."
